Trouble Maker
by dream7me7to7sleep
Summary: Sookie chooses employment over slavery, and Eric welcomes all of the trouble it brings his way when he offers to protect our favorite telepath from becoming Sophie-Ann's pet. An Eric/Sookie fic. Plenty of roller coasters, proofread, beta approved, and lemons galore if you have a tinge of patience in you!
1. Chapter 1

**Trouble Maker**

_A/N: Welcome, everyone, to the first chapter of __Trouble Maker!__ I am excited to be back with a new story, and I hope those of you who have followed me from __Keep Me__ are just as pumped as I am! This is a "rewrite" story, starting right after Sookie's first meeting with Eric._

_For my new readers: a fair warning before you begin reading- I do write mature material, although this chapter is clean, I prefer to let everyone know ahead of time before they get too curious. If this offends you, or you underage to view such material, please hit "back" on your browser now. And when I say mature, I mean sexually explicit, as well as occasionally running head long into aspects of torture, and sometimes emotionally distressing circumstances. But relax, I am all about the happy endings! Also, I have a habit of drawing from both the __True Blood__ and __SVMN__ universes when it comes to character personalities, plot points, and even architecture! Therefore, it is always good to be relatively familiar with both mediums, although after a certain point, I use original content rather than spewing out something that was already created. _

_Also, my wonderful beta, __**Nerdygirl**__, who worked very hard to get chapter one ready for me because I suddenly decided I was wanting to post again- I extend all of my gratitude to you. I could not ask for a better person to start this EPIC journey with!_

_Finally:_

**_Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANY TRUE BLOOD OR SVMN CHARACTERS. THEY BELONG TO CHARLAINE HARRIS, ALAN BALL, AND HBO. THEREFORE, DO NOT ASK ME FOR MONEY- I AM EXTREMELY POOR._**

**_-ANDI_**

**Chapter One: Revelations and Job Opportunities**

"Pam," Eric did not even look at his child as they tore off down the highway, away from the police swarmed Fangtasia, "contact our ears inside the court." The vampiress next to him quirked an eyebrow at her Master's sudden demand, "Compton is up to something, and he is up to it in _my _area." He growled angrily, "I want to know why he is here." Glaring at the road ahead of him, he continued, "That cherry he brought in tonight was definitely _not _a fangbanger."

"Which begs the question," Pam continued for him, "why bring something as tempting as that into a vampire bar when he knows there are at least two others that could demand her."

"He was being indulgent." Eric said aloud, even though he knew Pam was already on his line of thinking, "He wants her to _like _him."

"Well Ms. Sookie Stackhouse, 25, of Bon Temps- what type of trouble have you caused yourself?" Pam grinned. "And what kind of fun does that mean for _us?_"

"Address." Eric demanded as he tore off towards Pam's residence to drop her off.

Sookie was fuming as she yanked off her red and white dress and kicked off her pretty heels. Bill Compton was the most frustrating vampire she had ever met! More frustrating than that horn dog Eric at Fangtasia! '_Really! Sitting on a throne like he's king of the freakin' world. Power trip much?'_

Pulling a loose, pink cotton nightgown over her head, Sookie flopped onto her bed and let out an exasperated sigh. Without even looking, she reached under her bed and grabbed her diary that already had a pen bulging against the spine of the book. She wrote out her annoyance with Bill, her despair at finding out nothing useful to help Jason, and she vented about the obnoxious blond and his embellished throne. Once she was on the topic of Eric, though, her ranting turned into acute observations- like the way he commanded attention of all present at the club, or how he seemed so bored. It almost seemed like an act. She would not deny that he was _truly bored_, but there was something about his expression. He seemed to be thinking non-stop, and she, for the first time, wished she could hear a vampire's brain, because she feared that his thoughts were about _her_.

"Sookie..."

Sookie's head jerked up from her writing and she looked around the room worriedly. Had she just imagined someone calling her name softly?

Slowly closing her book and tucking it under the bed, her eyes scanning all over the room, Sookie got up and put her back to the wall.

"Sookie..."

She bit her lip nervously and inched towards the window. Peeking out, she saw the blond giant that was Eric standing next to her window. She squeaked and covered her mouth so as not to awaken Gran. "E-Eric?" She took a step away from the window even though she knew he could not reach in at her.

"Good evening. We have much to discuss." Eric nodded at her, his face stern.

"Listen, I told you, I'm not a cop! I had nothing-"

"Quiet." His tone was firm and commanding. Her mouth snapped shut, "Tell me. Are you truly Compton's?"

She swallowed hard, "N-no." She was only brave enough to admit it with a magical barrier keeping a large vampire away from her.

"I figured you were not his. There are no visible bite marks on you, and you seem too innocent to allow him to feed between your thighs-"

"That's enough of that!" Sookie hissed, her face going beet red as her arms crossed over her chest.

"So, tell me, why did you say you were his?" Eric asked again, his posture loose, a perfect contrast to her rigidness.

She explained about Malcolm and his friends being at Bill's house, and how Bill had to claim her as his so the others could not have her.

"Has he ever had your blood?" Eric asked.

"Technically."

"There is no "technically", he either has or has not."

"He licked my head wound closed after he fed me his blood. I was pretty badly beaten." Sookie told him.

"Did he tell you it was to seal the wound?" Eric asked, surprising Sookie with the curiosity.

"Yes... The next night I asked. I wasn't really thinking about it in the moment." She explained

"If he fed you his blood, he had no reason to close any wounds. In reality, he could not resist an open wound. Why were you beaten?"

Sookie gawked for a moment at Eric's nonchalant observation and his off the cusp inquiry before she told him about her saving Bill, and the retaliation some drainers had taken upon her.

Eric looked at her a long time. Bill was a child in comparison to himself, but Compton was _not _stupid enough to be taken in by drainers. That sort of thing only happened to the newborns. If someone were going to drain Bill, they would have to be a Were or a Shifter to manage it.

"After you left, I had my Child make some phone calls." Eric said slowly, making sure Sookie was _really _listening to him. "When William Compton came to this area, he told me that he came to claim his old home."

Sookie nodded, "Yeah, that's right-"

"No, it is not." Eric said firmly, "Bill is a procurer for other, wealthier vampires- particularly for the Queen of Louisiana."

Sookie snorted, "Queen?"

"Yes. In the vampire hierarchy each state in the United States has a Queen and/or King. Directly beneath them are Sheriffs of areas the state has been divided into. I am Sheriff of Area Five of Louisiana." He explained, "And Bill Compton is a gofer for the Queen of this state. She asks for it- he obtains it."

"So, what did he come here for, if not to claim his old property?"

"A pretty, blonde telepath." Eric smiled darkly at her.

Sookie recoiled, "That can't be true! I'm a human being! Not a piece of furniture! Who procures people!?"

"Vampires do." Eric told her, "For their blood, if they taste particularly good. For their looks. And quite often for their special abilities."

"How did the Queen even know I was a telepath?"

"Are you familiar with a Hadley Delahoussaye?" Eric asked.

"My _cousin_? We all thought she died." Sookie frowned.

"Oh, she did. She is vampire now." Eric smirked.

"What?" Sookie gaped for a long moment, "But-"

"She was made Vampire not too long ago, but not before telling the Queen about her special cousin who could read minds. She is now one of the many play things of the Queen." Sookie made a disgusted face, "Oh, your cousin seems to enjoy her position _under _the Queen." Sookie covered her ears.

"This is too much." She crouched down and kept her ears covered.

"Keep listening, Little One." Eric tapped the siding of the house to get Sookie's attention back.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Sookie whispered once she had straightened back up.

"Several reasons." Eric smiled that half smile of his, "First and foremost- I could use a telepath myself."

Sookie backed up again, "I don't-"

"Have a choice?" Eric finished for her, "You will either work for me or the Queen. At least with me- you will have additional protection."

She sneered at him, "How so?"

"The queen is young- barely five hundred. She can easily be overthrown, and that is more likely to happen if she keeps acquiring such delightful toys. Also, my Queen is in a large financial crisis, so she will probably be taking a King soon to help pay out her debts. If that were to happen while you are owned by the Queen, you will also be at the mercy of the King that she marries. If she is overthrown, then you will be passed to the vampire who acquires her throne- assuming that you survive the overtaking." Sookie's head was spinning. "How does that sound?"

"Can't everyone just leave me alone?" Sookie whimpered, leaning her head against the window frame.

"No. You are a hot commodity." Eric grinned a cheshire cat smile.

"And the fact that I taste so good doesn't help either, does it?" Sookie frowned.

"You do smell quite delectable- but in comparison to your telepathy, that is just a wonderful fringe benefit." He held out his hand, "May I?"

"May you what?" Sookie was afraid he would ask for an invite.

"Hold your hand out to me." He told her.

"Are you going to yank me out the window?" She asked.

Eric smirked, "No, I promise, I will not force you out." Sookie eyed him warily before extending her arm out of the window. Eric gently took her hand and turned it so that it was palm up. Lowering his face to her flesh, his nose grazed the inside of her wrist, and he released a satisfied sigh. "Yes, your blood smells quite delicious..." His tongue flickered out and fluttered against a bulging, blue vein, causing Sookie to shudder from something other than the slight chill.

Taking her hand back slowly, Sookie tilted her head and asked, "What is your proposal?"

"Work for me, and in exchange I will offer my protection." He stated simply.

"Wh-what would I have to do?" She asked slowly.

Eric shrugged, "Use your telepathy when we deal with humans. I might loan you out to other Areas if they request it, but myself or Pam would travel with you as protection."

Sookie sighed with, what appeared to Eric as, relief, "That's all?"

"I do not need to blackmail women into opening their legs or arteries to me, Miss Stackhouse." He gave her a lazy, somehow sexy, look, "However, if you ever feel so inclined, I will gladly open either, or both, for you." Sookie could not restrain the blush that rose from her throat and up into her cheeks. "Mm, you do smell delicious, especially with that blush." That just made Sookie's face turn a shade darker.

"I won't stand for such dirty talk!" She tried to sound stern, but her flushed face caused a loss in the affect. With a frustrated sigh, Sookie told him, "You should know- I can't be glamoured."

"A bonus- in some cases. I do not need to worry about another vampire turning you against me." Eric shrugged, "Unfortunately, you will have to deal with the haunting things you may see. I will not be able to take them away for you."

"When you're a telepath, you see all kinds of "haunting things"." Sookie murmured.

"In the world of Vampires, you will witness the things of nightmares." Eric caught her gaze, "Do we have a deal."

"Do vampires honor contracts?" Sookie asked.

"Yes, we are quite honorable in holding to our contracts." Eric nodded.

"Even the ones with humans?"

"If it is written and signed, it will be honored." Eric assured her. "Any time you work with a vampire that is not me- I will have them sign a contract as well that have been tailored to my... _Our _specifications. I assume you will have your own circumstances."

"Are you going to pay me?"

Eric nodded, "Is it not customary to pay someone for their services?"

"How much?" Sookie asked.

Eric grinned, "Come to Fangtasia tomorrow night, and we will negotiate. I must be leaving soon so I can be to my resting place before dawn."

"I work tomorrow." Sookie told him.

"Where?" Eric asked.

"Merlotte's. It's a bar-"

"I know it. The Shifter owns it." Eric nodded.

"Shifter?"

Eric's eyebrows rose, "You did not know that your boss was a Supe?"

Sookie gaped, "I knew there was something off about his mind, but... What's a Shifter?"

"A human who can take the form of animals. They usually have a particular animal they will change into, but they are not limited to one form like a Were is."

"Like a Werewolf?" Sookie asked.

"Yes."

"What does Sam change into?" Sookie was enthralled.

"By the smell of him- a dog usually." Eric told her.

"Wow... Hey! I've seen a dog hanging around Merlotte's all the time! There was one there the night I saved Bill, and the night the Rattrays attacked me!" She realized, "Son of a... Sam and I are gonna have to have a little talk!" Eric laughed at the young woman's obvious annoyance, "I get off of work at ten... That shouldn't be too late for you, right?"

"Not at all. Where would you like to have our meeting?" Eric was all business again.

"I can drive out to Shreveport after work tomorrow." Sookie sighed, "I don't fancy letting you in my house until we've got a signed contract. Don't need you freakin' Gran out. And if another vampire comes strolling into Merlotte's Sam might rupture an aneurysm."

"Gran?"

"My grandmother. She's asleep right now." She explained.

Eric nodded before thinking a moment, "A few things you might want to do, Sookie. First, rescind Compton's invitation if he has been allowed in your house, and advise your grandmother not to let him in either. Tell her not to make eye contact with him at all, should he come to the door. I do not know if your... Gran has the same immunity to glamour that you do. Second, do not allow Compton to give you his blood again, nor allow him to have yours. If he is dying, let him die. And lastly, you will have to invite me in soon. Should you need protection, it would be best if I can come for you and not be hindered." Sookie nodded in agreement.

"After we get a contract signed, I will allow it." She said firmly.

"Fair enough." Eric agreed. She was naïve, but not stupid. Eric could definitely handle that... He could also handle making her a little _less _naïve. "After your contract is filed, I will begin your training."

"Training?"

"Oh, yes. You have much to learn, Little One, before you start working around vampires." Eric grinned before taking off at a full vampire run.

Sookie shut her window slowly before heading back to her bed and flinging herself across the mattress. What a long day!

**TBC**

**A/N: WELL, THAT WAS OUR FIRST CHAPTER! MEET ME BACK HERE NEXT TUESDAY FOR CHAPTER TWO, AND IN THE MEANTIME, PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**

**-ANDI**


	2. Chapter 2

Trouble Maker

_A/N: Happy, almost, Tuesday, and welcome to chapter two! As always, thanks to __**Nerdygirl**____ who has been my loyal beta since the better parts of __Keep Me__ (which were "better" all because of her!) I was absolutely delighted at the initial response this story has received, and hope to keep earning such wonderful reviews. Of course, hammering out the first few "start up" chapters always feels like a drag, and I know we are all waiting anxiously for things to REALLY heat up! So I will stop wasting time and present you with your latest expansion of the story!_

_-Andi_

**Chapter Two: What Do You Wear to a Vampire Job Interview?**

Waking up to the smell of bacon in the skillet and coffee brewing, Sookie felt like the intense scenario between herself and Eric the night before had been nothing more than a dream, or perhaps a nightmare. But it had been real, and Sookie had a lot of ground to cover.

"Mornin', Gran." Sookie smiled carefully at her grandmother.

"Oh, Lord, child. What happened?" Adele Stackhouse knew the look on her granddaughter's face. That was the 'my life just turned to shit, but don't pity me' smile.

"Let me have my coffee first." Sookie grumbled, losing her smile. Adele sat quietly at the kitchen table after fixing herself and Sookie up a plate of bacon, eggs and grits that were flooded with butter. Once the two women were settled, Sookie began her tale, "So, Bill took me to Fangtasia- I did some snooping, met an obnoxious blond vampire by the name of Eric, got pretty much no useful information, the club got raided by police, Bill and I got in a fight on the way home, and Eric came to my window."

Adele gasped, "Was he a Peeping Tom?" Her expression was not a happy one.

Sookie shook her head, "Not at all. He came to talk business. I guess that 1 AM is a common vampire business hour," she rolled her eyes at the realization. "Anyway, Eric has a lot of ears in Louisiana, and when he realized I was a telepath- oh, yeah, that kind of came up at the bar- he did some investigating of his own. Turns out Bill Compton was sent here by some higher ranking vampire to trick me into working for her as a telepath... Only... It would be in a slavery kind of way, not in a getting paid for it kind of way."

Adele remained completely silent, despite the ranting she would have loved to do.

"So, Eric suggested that we rescind Bill's invitation, keep his blood away from us and our blood away from him. Oh, and he told me to tell you not to look any vampires in the eye, because they can trick you into letting them in."

"Is that so?" Adele's curiosity overrode anger for a moment.

"Yup, they have the ability to glamour people and influence them... Like a hypnotist or something."

"And what does Eric want in exchange for all this information he's giving you?" Adele went back on topic.

"He says he wants a telepath of his own, but he's at least willing to pay me to do it." Sookie continued, "There might be travel involved, but he assured me that he or one of his subordinates would travel with me, so I wouldn't be unprotected." Sookie let out a long sigh, "According to Eric... The female vamp that wants me... Well... She's a bit... Forward... With girls."

"Oh my!" Adele covered her mouth briefly, before recovering and asking, "But, Sookie, how can you be sure that Eric is telling you the truth about Mr. Compton and what he's doing here? Maybe Eric is the one who-"

"Gran, I know I can't hear vampires, but I still know a line when I'm hearing one. He gave me too much information for it to be completely made up. But what has Bill told us? A bit of family history to dazzle us, and that he wants to reclaim his family home. Strange that he never talks about his family though, right? How many kids he had, what his wife was like. If he wanted to be surrounded by memories of them by living in that house, you'd think he'd be comfortable enough to talk about them aloud." Sookie fumed. A lot of things were starting to make sense about Bill Compton all of a sudden, and the novelty of his silent thoughts was no longer blinding Sookie to Bill's omissions. "Eric may be a jerk... and a little forward at times, but he didn't come to me under false pretenses with the thoughts of abduction on his mind."

"How did Mr. Compton even know that you are a telepath?" Adele asked.

"Hadley."

"_MY_ Hadley!?" Gran gasped.

"Yeah, she's one of... that other vampiress's... Uh... consorts." Sookie flushed.

"Oh, my! But she's alive?" Gran quickly recovered.

"She's a vampire now." Sookie grimaced.

"Oh..." Gran deflated, "Well, we should still have her over."

Sookie resisted rolling her eyes; Gran would give her a swatting if she saw her granddaughter roll her eyes at her, "Considering the family history she's been telling devious people- I'm not sure I'd want that."

Gran frowned, "She's family, Sookie. Vampire or not, she is family."

"I know." Sookie sighed, "So, I have a meeting with Eric after work. We're drawing up a contract."

"Will you have to quit Merlotte's?" Gran asked.

"I don't know. Maybe... I'm thinking about bringing Sam with me..."

"Why Sam?" Gran was surprised.

"He knows a bit more about vampires than I do." Sookie told her, not wanting to spill Sam's secret.

"Yes, if he knows about vampires, then definitely fill him in!" Gran agreed.

"I need to get this contract filed soon, though." Sookie finished eating her plate of food and took it to the sink along with Gran's, "Eric told me that legal contracts were the only way vampires would consort with humans and keep their word for sure."

"That was rather honest of him, not taking you on a handshake." Gran was surprised.

"Yeah... it was. By the way, Gran, isn't the DGD thing with Bill tonight?" Sookie asked.

"Yes, though now I'm kind of concerned about being alone with him." Adele admitted, not wanting to be around a man who had unwanted attentions towards her granddaughter.

"Could you cancel?" Sookie asked hopefully.

"No, Dear, I can't." Adele was abhorred at the thought of canceling at the last minute, despite all of the rude phone calls she was getting. Deep down, Adele knew that the town was curious about Bill Compton, and that they would benefit from hearing from a Civil War Veteran. Plus, it was just downright rude to cancel something, and would be unkind to Bill, even if he deserved it, to have him rise and prepare only to tell him moments later that he was not needed. Adele Stackhouse's good southern upbringing could not even allow her to consider the possibility.

"Maybe I should post-pone my meeting? I don't want to think of you being alone with Bill." Sookie told her.

"I may be an old woman, Missy, but I can take care of myself." Gran's tone sharpened a bit in warning. "You need to show that Mr. Northman what a good employee you will be. If you really think he'll be good for your safety, then you need to stay on his good side."

"Yeah," Sookie contemplated that the whole rest of the day before going into work. She was aware that a vampire's age gave them more strength and status, and Bill had plainly stated that Eric was the oldest thing she would see in Fangtasia. Perhaps that meant, he was pretty old in general... She left a little early so she would have time to talk to Sam without taking time out of her shift.

Sam was behind the bar after she had put her purse in his office, and she said quietly, "Can I talk to you in private a minute, Sam?"

"Course, Sookie!" Sam beamed at her. Once they were in his office with the door shut, he turned towards her, "What can I do for ya?"

"I went to Fangtasia last night." Sookie told him.

Sam tilted his head slightly downward, "Are you okay?" His tone and stance were both menacing, making the telepath nervous about just what Sam would try if she did not quell his worries quickly.

"Physically? Yes. Psychologically? Probably not. After I sort out the facts- I'll know. Enlightenment number one from last night: Sam, are you a Shifter?" Sookie asked.

Sam's jaw clenched, "Who told you that?" He asked darkly.

"We'll get to that. So, you're a Shifter, and you never bothered to tell me?" Sookie crossed her arms over her chest.

"I was afraid you might not like me any more if you knew I was a Supe."

"Sam, I told you I was a telepath!" Sookie fumed.

"Well reading minds is a little more elegant than growing fur and fallin' to all fours." Sam huffed.

"Believe me, there's nothin' elegant 'bout what I see in most people's heads." Sookie grumbled back at him.

Sam smiled a bit, "Yeah, I'm a Shifter." He finally, officially, confirmed.

"Are you that old collie I seen runnin' 'round here?" Sookie asked.

"Well, there actually is a collie, but a lot of the time, it probably is me." Sam explained.

"Were you the collie the night I saved Bill, and the night the Rattrays attacked me?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you help me?" Sookie was forlorn. "They coulda killed me, Sam!"

"I was hopin' I coulda scared them off looking like a crazed dog, but then Mac pulled out a knife and wasn't scared at all. I ran off to change back to a human, but by the time I got back, Bill had already stepped in." Sam explained, taking a seat at his desk. "I wasn't about to kill the Rattrays like Bill was. I didn't need them giving me a hard time if they saw me get involved."

"Enlightenment number two: Bill wants to sell me to the Queen of Louisiana." Sookie leaned against his desk.

"_What?_" Sam stood so fast it toppled his chair.

"The Vampire Queen of Louisiana sent Bill to Bon Temps to take me back to her."

"I'll stake that mother fu-"

"Sam! Language!" Sookie was surprised at him.

"Language, my ass! Some vampire comes to my bar trying to trick you into being Sophie-Anne's telepathic whore, and you're chidin' me 'bout my cursin'?" Sam was outraged, "Who's been tellin' you all this?"

"Enlightenment number three: I found out about Sheriff's last night, and I met the Sheriff of this area. His name's-"

"Eric Northman. Yeah, I know him. Why's he been tellin' you all this?" Sam was ready for some line he had fed Sookie.

"He's all business. He wouldn't mind having a telepath either, but he said he'd at least _pay_ me for my services rather than enslave me. Also, he said he'd offer me protection." Sookie told him.

Sam was a bit aghast. On one hand, Eric was a dangerous- very dangerous- character for Sookie to be hanging around. On the other hand, if someone was going to be protecting Sookie, Eric was the guy for the job.

"So, when I found out you were a Supe, I thought you might be able to tell me some things... See if they're true."

"Like what?" Sam finally settled back behind his desk after putting his chair back to rights.

"Is it true that if a vampire signs a contract, he'll actually adhere to it- even if it's with a human?" Sookie asked.

Sam nodded, "For the most part. The older vampires will. It's the youngins that would try and tip toe around their contracts. The older ones are too proud to go back on their written word. Although, they are notorious for leaving themselves quite a few loopholes."

"Is Eric old?"

Sam snorted, "Yeah, he's around a thousand."

"A thousand YEARS OLD?!" Sookie screeched but clamped her jaw when Sam shushed her. When she calmed a bit, she asked, "Can I trust Eric?"

"Uhh..." Sam did not know how to explain this one, "I'm not gonna lie, Sook, Eric Northman could tangle a spider up with the webs he weaves. He's not known for brutal honesty, but he is known to be a really good employer. He's got his ups and downs, but the stuff that really matters, the stuff you need, he'll have it for you. You'll have a great paycheck, and premium protection. But there's a lot of down sides. You'll be working with and for vampires, so you'll probably be in a lot of danger. You might have to move out of your gran's place, just in case to keep her safe. You might have to quit working here... And you might wanna buy silver underwear, 'cause that Northman guy is a horn dog."

Sookie snorted, "Eric's already said he didn't need to blackmail a girl to..." Sookie flushed.

"To what?" Sam growled.

"To open their legs or arteries is how he put it." Sookie flushed a bit darker.

If the comment had not been directed at Sookie, Sam might have found it entertaining. Seeing as it was, Sam forced himself to just completely ignore the remark, "Well, sounds like I might be needing to find me a new waitress." He frowned sadly.

Sookie slumped visibly, "Don't say stuff like that, Sam." She pouted, "You know I don't want to quit on you."

"Yeah, but you'll have to work less hours, and I can't go shorting the other girls the help they need." He pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess not." She sighed, "If it's slow, can I leave a bit early for my meeting?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah, Cher... Did you want me to come with you?"

Sookie shook her head, "Nah, I'm a big girl. I can handle it. Oh! If Bill comes in tonight after I leave or anything, don't tell him where I've gone."

"Of course not." Sam nodded, "But you really shouldn't enter a contract with a vampire like Eric by yourself. Who knows what kind of loopholes he'll leave open to worm his way around."

Biting her lip, Sookie leaned a bit heavier against the desk, "Honestly, Sam, I... I kind of _trust_ him."

"That's dangerous." Sam said blatantly.

"I know, but I do. Eric is intimidating, and pretty scary, but he's a vampire. He acts like one. Bill was all meek and trying not to act like a vampire... I think I should be wary of the nice vampires, and not necessarily the vampires who act like _vampires_." She concluded, and Sam was nodding.

"That's a pretty good way to look at it, but don't put too much trust in Eric Northman. And, Cher, no matter how bad things get, don't even think about double crossing him."

"Since when have you known me to double cross anyone?" Sookie raised her eyebrows at her boss.

"Yeah, I know, Sookie, but I'm just trying to give you as much advice as possible." Sam hastily defended himself.

With a sigh, Sookie finally flopped into the chair across Sam's desk, "So, what should I be looking for, loophole wise?"

Sam shrugged, "If I had a lawyer I could send with ya, I would. I don't know much about contracts, other than the standard employee contracts I use. The one you'll have with Eric will be unique, considering what you'll be doing for him... I'd say... Watch out for compensations- like using your own car to drive to and from where ever. Travel expenses. The term you'll be working for him, and the repercussions in breach of any contract guidelines." Sam sighed. "Listen, I really should come with you. I don't know _much_ about contracts, but I know a hellalot more than you do."

"Sam..." Sookie frowned.

"I want to, Sookie." Sam told her firmly. "I want to help however I can. I have a lawyer- can't afford to bring him-, but I can at least field some questions out to him if I have to."

"Will the bar be okay without you tonight?" She asked slowly.

"Terry and Lafayette can watch the place. It'll be fine." He reassured.

"Okay, but let's take separate cars in case I get held up. You probably know vampires better than me, so you probably know; they might keep me there until 4 AM." She laughed.

"Okay, Cher." Sam stood up, "I'll see if I can let you out early to get ready. Dress to impress, you don't want Eric thinking you're a hick or something. You gotta dress strong and professional."

"Oh, jeez..." Sookie had not even thought about what to wear to something like this, "Any suggestions on clothing choice?" She laughed.

"Button down and a straight skirt?" Sam shrugged, "A little feminine charm can go a ways for vamps as old as Eric. They may be dead, and they may be old, but I guarantee that if you show up looking classy and like a lady- he'll take ya more seriously."

"Why's that?" Sookie was confused.

Sam shrugged, "I, personally, think more of a woman who _knows_ she's a woman and owns it, rather than a woman who's trying to look masculine to try and be taken seriously. Besides, I know you ain't got nothin' slutty in your closet, and that's a damn good thing. Slutty is just as bad as overly masculine."

"That makes... Some sense." Sookie laughed as she stood up to leave and start her shift. "I think I know what to wear." She assured him, "I'll meet you in the Fangtasia parking lot?"

"Sure. 11:00?" He checked.

"Sounds good." Sookie nodded before leaving the office and heading onto the floor. "Hey, Arlene." She waved at the red head across the bar.

"Hey, Sookie!" Arlene nodded her head, her hands busy writing down the two truckers' orders in her pad.

Sookie was not surprised when the night wore on and they got busy. Thursday nights tended to be busy up until 9, but once the minute hand was firmly stating 9 o'clock, the bar turned into a ghost town. Sam nodded at her that she could leave, and Arlene huffed.

"I was in a half-hour before her- why's she gettin' to leave early?" Arlene pouted. "I got kids, Sam!"

"Sookie has an interview for a second job in Shreveport tonight." Sam explained, "She asked if she could hop out a little early to get ready, and I agreed." He shrugged.

"A second job? Sookie, you having money trouble?" Arlene glanced at her fellow waitress, concern on her face. Sookie was a pal about helping out her fellow co-worker, even if it meant loaning her money from time to time when she could afford it, "Aw, honey, if you was having trouble with money you shoulda told me. I wouldn't be huffing 'bout you taking all the night shifts!"

"Well, you'll probably be getting a lot more of my night shifts." Sookie blanched, "The job in Shreveport is going to be almost entirely nights. Sam's probably gonna be hiring in a few new waitresses though to pick up my slack. This job's gonna be a lot less flexible on my hours and days." She explained.

"Good money?" Arlene asked hopefully, "Do they need anyone else?"

"Not sure about the money. We're negotiating tonight. Sam's coming with to help me with contracts." Sookie told her, "Wants to make sure I don't get roped into anything too pathetic." She laughed, though deep down, she realized not getting roped _onto_ anything would be the part to avoid. Working with vampires might just mean some hostage situations. She shuddered.

"Oh, well, if the money's good- let me know, maybe they could use more help." Arlene beamed.

"We'll see, Arlene." Sookie knew already that Arlene would not survive a second in Fangtasia. Forget that her vibrant red headed friend _hated_ vampires- she also lacked telepathy!

Sookie drove home quickly and hopped back in the shower to get the smell of smoke and alcohol off of her skin and hair. As her skin air dried, she went to her closet, looking for her best outfit. Finding a green and pink floral skirt that stopped just around her knees, she threw it on her bed before hunting down a blouse. A solid pink top that was mostly lace, with a solid polyester lining that covered her tummy, breasts, and back before becoming sheer in the cap sleeves, completed the ensemble. Once she had her bra and panties on, and then her choice in clothing, Sookie looked in the mirror with an approving nod. Light, feminine, maybe a little more playful than serious, but still mature. It was not anywhere near what Sam had suggested, but a part of her felt that Eric would be more receptive to this ensemble than what the bar owner had proposed. Besides, it did not show an inappropriate or distracting amount of cleavage. _But just enough to make a 6 foot something Viking's fangs pop!_ She thought with an uncharacteristically devilish thought.

"Okay, Gran," Sookie bounded down the stairs after drying and tousling her hair and applying some light, natural make-up, "I'm off!"

"Be careful, Sookie." Gran came from the living room to plant a kiss on Sookie's cheek, "You look lovely!"

"Thanks," Sookie blushed a bit, "Sam's gonna meet me there to help with the contract. He said he's not too good at it, but he'll know more than I would." She grimaced, but kept her smile.

"That's a smart move." Gran nodded approvingly. "I'll wait up for you-"

"No, Gran, go to bed. There's a good chance I won't be home until closer to dawn. Vampires have strange hours." She pointed out. "And you can tell me how the DGD thing went over breakfast."

Adele did not like the thought of sleeping while her granddaughter was out consorting with strange vampires. She vowed to stay up until Sookie was home, though she would break that vow around 1 AM and nod off in the living room's recliner.

"See you later, Gran. Love you!" Sookie kissed her cheek before hopping out to her car.

The drive to Shreveport was uneventful, but seemed to take forever. The whole time, Sookie thought about what she was getting herself into. Would Eric really keep his word? Could he really keep her safe? Would the pay be worth it?

The uneventful portion of the drive ended a few blocks away from Fangtasia. The Service Engine light glowed ferociously as the thermostat needle skyrocketed, and steam started spewing out of the edges of her hood, "What the hell!?" Sookie yelled at her car. "Stupid son of a... Ahg!" She managed to crawl into the Fangtasia parking lot, and saw Sam already jumping out of his truck to help her. As she threw the car into park and turned off the engine, there was a loud CLUNK and more steam seemed to pour out.

"Jeez, Sook, what the hell happened?" Sam asked as he popped the hood of the car and the vapors bursted out at him. He took the bandana he had wrapped around his hand to open the hood and unfurled it to wave away the steam and smoke.

"Don't know. A couple of blocks back, it went crazy on me and told me to Service the Engine." She sighed, watching as her boss stepped away from the car.

"I'm no mechanic, but it looks like you're getting a ride home from me." Sam shook his head, "I can't do anything with it. I'll call a tow truck for ya after the meeting."

"Thanks, Sam." Sookie smiled gratefully at him.

"Well then, shall we?" Sam offered his elbow, and Sookie took it with a giggle.

"What a gentlemen." She teased as they headed towards the door. The same blonde vampire, Pam, was working the door again.

Pam waved them to the front of the line, much to the ire of the fangbangers waiting before them. "Head straight towards the back of the bar. Next to the bar is a door. Go through there. First door on the left is Eric's office. He's waiting for you." Pam told her, "And who is your puppy?" She asked, finally looking at Sam.

"This is my friend and boss, Sam Merlotte." Sookie introduced him.

"Shifter." Pam nodded vacantly.

"Vampire." Sam nodded back with an equivalent amount of enthusiasm.

Together, employer and employee made their way into the bar and followed Pam's directions to Eric's office. "Do I knock?" Sookie asked her boss.

"Enter." Eric's deep voice rang through the door, making Sookie shrug as she opened the door. "Good evening." Eric nodded from behind his desk, gesturing to the empty chairs, "Sam Merlotte." He nodded at Sam.

"Eric Northman." Sam nodded back.

They both took the seats indicated and settled in.

"I did not realize you were bringing reinforcements." Eric gave a wan smile to Sookie.

"Sam offered to view my contract since I don't know anything about them." Sookie explained.

"How noble of him. By the way, your radiator blew out." Eric said as he glanced at his computer monitor, overviewing a spreadsheet his accountant had forwarded to him.

"How did you...?" Sookie trailed off, uncertain.

Eric did little more than tap his ear.

"Ah," Sookie squirmed slightly in her chair. Those vampire senses were seriously underrated. Aside from the telepathic noise she could hear, the room was completely silent, save the fan of the computer, and her and Sam's breathing. She could hardly even feel the vibrations from the music pulsating on the main floor of the club.

"This," Eric pushed a stack of papers towards the two of them, "is a preliminary copy of your contract." He placed a pen atop of it, "Please, look over it and mark any changes you would like to suggest. My lawyer will be in around midnight to look at your adjustments that I might agree to. Hopefully, we can get this settled tonight."

Sookie took the stack of papers in her hands and they felt like an anvil to her. Upon the first sentence, she deflated and looked forlornly at Sam, "Please?" She squeaked, handing him the pages.

Sam merely smiled and took the pages, reading through it all quickly, "Would you like a summary?" She nodded quickly. Glancing at Eric he asked, "I take it the minimal four nights a week are due to the raids?" Eric nodded, "Okay, Sookie, basically, what Eric wants, is for you to appear at Fangtasia at least four nights a week and scan for cops, V-addicts, and drainers- pretty much any illegal activity. He's only gonna be concerned about cops if there's something goin' on that shouldn't be." Sookie nodded in understanding, "In the event that another area requests your assistance, you will be escorted by Pam or Eric, and your travel expenses will be paid for by Eric. You will be on call, but that will mostly, but not strictly mean working nights." Sam hesitated.

"How long is the contract for?" Sookie asked.

"That's... That's where I'm confused. It's worded awkwardly." Sam answered.

"The contract," Eric began to explain, "does not expire until you or your power does."

"So you have me for life?" Sookie gaped.

"And un-life, if you so choose." Sookie made a face at Eric's suggestion at her becoming a vampire, "However, I do not know if your power will remain should you become a vampire. There is also a clause stating that if you develop the ability to hear vampires, I am not obligated to protect you any longer."

"That's bullshit." Sam growled.

"Sam!" Sookie grabbed his forearm.

"If Miss Stackhouse can read vampire minds, no one will want her alive, even myself." Eric replied cooly. "If I become fond of her- I might give her a head start."

"Moving right along." Sookie kept her fear at bay, "What about salary?"

"$500 a night at Fangtasia, and 75% of income from jobs requested by other areas." Eric answered. "I will be setting the price most of the time, negotiating with the other Sheriffs, and, more than likely, Kings and Queens. Keep in mind, I get the other 25%, so you can guarantee I will market for top dollar." He grinned, "Side jobs I have for you when you are not doing your usual at the club will be adjusted according to time, risk, and other factors, but you will never make less than $1,000.00 for those side jobs. If a side job takes more than 3 hours to complete, you will make $400.00 an hour. In the event of an out of town, or overnight job, your payment will not exceed $15,000.00. You will also be placed on Fangtasia's health insurance policy which includes eye and dental." Sookie's head was reeling with the numbers and benefits he was throwing at her. "Oh, yes, hand me those papers, Merlotte." Eric held out his hand and Sam handed the stack over. After a few notations were made, Eric handed it back. "I have added the bonus of a vehicle to your contract. You will need a very specific type of vehicle, and yours will not do. I will have a tow truck take yours to the junk yard and off of my property, so, please, remove your belongings from it before you leave."

"I want an adjustment of my own." Sookie said slowly.

"I am listening." Eric folded his hands over his desk, his expression firm and unreadable.

"Since I can only hear humans... That means what I'm listening to is probably going to get a lot of people in trouble." She was hesitant, "I don't want people getting killed or harmed because of me."

Eric frowned, "If you can get a confession out of them, and it is a notable, human, offense, we will hand them over to the police. However, Miss Stackhouse, keep in mind that in the world of vampires, human laws do not offer much protection for our kind. We _do_ have ways of making humans pay out their debts to us that do not result in death; however, in the case of drainers, stake wielders, and Molotov cocktails, we are quite unforgiving."

Sookie cast her eyes upon her hands, "Sam..." Sam took one of her chilled hands in his warm one and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Can you live with that, Cher?" Sam asked quietly.

"Live with it, or die without it." Sookie grimaced around one of her "Crazy Sookie" smiles.

"A quaint little catch phrase. Make it your mantra, Miss Stackhouse." Eric grinned at her. "There is one little thing that cannot go into a legal document."

Sam tensed; he had been waiting for this.

"Which is?" Sookie asked worriedly.

"I will need to do a mutual blood exchange with you." Eric told her.

"What!? Why?" Sookie rang her hands worriedly.

"Compton has already succeeded in performing a mutual blood exchange, though it was ill gotten. I need to be on his level when it comes to loyalties. A mutual blood exchange with a vampire that is not myself, will need to be purged by my own influences. Also, my blood in your system will allow me to know when you are in need of my assistance. Do not abuse the privilege." He smiled that dark smile again, the one that made Sookie want to crawl under a rock, but debate about dragging him under that rock with her.

"You're going to claim her?" Sam growled.

"A paper contract holds me to human laws, but amongst vampires, the only respected contract is one involving blood." Eric shrugged like it was no different than signing his name.

"You do this often?" Sookie leered.

"Not in my many, many... _many_ years." Eric smirked.

Sookie sighed, "You'll make my adjustments?"

"If you understand that they will only go so far. I have my own understandings as to what is and is not... _forgivable_." Eric answered, the final word sounding bitter and unsavory.

"Have your lawyer adjust as needed. We'll reread them, and then I'll sign." Sookie nodded.

"Good." Eric reached across the desk for an intercom.

_"Master?"_ A voice, it sounded like Pam, answered.

"Have Drake come to my office when he gets here." Eric told her.

_"He's here. Damn club soda with a lime wedge."_ He could practically hear his Child rolling her eyes.

"Send him in." Eric told her and disengaged the intercom.

In a matter of minutes, a young, sharp looking man with sandy blond hair and a crisp suit came in. "Are we set?" Drake asked.

"Only some minor adjustments to paragraphs E and G, as well as an additional notation that I have written out on the back of page four." Eric handed him the papers. Drake took out his laptop and quickly made the adjustments before tapping into the wireless printer and printing three sets of copies. Sam and Sookie looked them over, finding all three to be identical, with only the changes they had discussed already. Sookie took the pen Drake offered her, and signatures were drawn before Eric signed all three copies, handing one to his lawyer, to Sookie, and then filing the third for himself. "Thank you, Drake that will be all." He dismissed his lawyer.

"Well, Miss Stackhouse, the night is still young." Eric stood from his desk, "May I bother you for some more of your time? I would like to get you acquainted with the staff, more specifically, Pam."

"Sam's my ride home." Sookie did not want to keep her friend waiting for her.

"He may leave. I will arrange a ride home for you, and a car will be delivered to your residence very soon. We still have some more paperwork to go through. W2's, insurance, and what not." He explained.

"Are you okay by yourself, Sookie?" Sam had a concerned look on his face.

"I'm going to have to get used to being here without you, Sam." She tried to give him a brave look, but her weak smile broke his heart.

"Northman," Sam did not take his eyes off of Sookie, "I know I can't take you, but if anything happens to Sookie, I swear I will contact every Were and Shifter in the southern states and rain hell on you if she gets hurt."

Eric grinned, "I would expect no less from _you,_ Merlotte." He nodded and watched as Sam rose to leave. Sookie stood with him and gave her friend a big, tight hug.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Sam." Sookie reassured him.

"Yeah, okay, Sookie." Sam squeezed her back. "Later, Northman." He nodded at the blond giant and left.

The next hour Sookie spent filling out the standard employment forms and giving away her information.

"Well, now that that is taken care of," Eric stood up again, "it is time to introduce you to the staff."

**TBC**

**A/N: PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**

**-ANDI**


	3. Chapter 3

**Trouble Maker**

_A/N: Welcome back, Readers, to chapter three! This chapter is having some editing issues (just the finer points), but I did not want to keep you all waiting the entire day. Thank you for all of the reviews so far. I am happy to see that many of Keep Me's fans have checked out the story, and I hope that you enjoy this one just as much!_

_***EDIT***_

_My dear, sweet **Nerdygirl** just got the final editing done, so here it all is looking all the more beautiful! Thanks, Hun!_

_**-Andi**_

**Chapter Three: Bathroom Rendezvous and Blushing Barmaids**

Eric could not believe how well the meeting had gone. He also could not believe how rigid he had been when having Drake draw up Sookie's contract. Though he had not expected Sookie to bring someone to read the contract over, he had still requested as little wriggle room as possible for either of them. He wanted temptation firmly snuffed so that he could not unintentionally upset his new asset. Seeing how quickly Sookie seemed to cool off on Bill once she learned of his treachery, he knew that the slightest exploitation of her would not end well for him. Therefor, there was not a single loophole he could find, and he had done a fairly good job of legally tying Sookie Stackhouse to himself.

After the last of the paperwork was signed, Eric reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a cell phone, which he pushed across the desk at his new employee, "What's that?" Sookie frowned, hesitant to reach for anything he did not directly hand her. Remaining on the desk's surface was still a gray area as to whether or not it was for her, in Sookie's eyes.

"Your new cell phone." Eric seemed to sense her hesitation at accepting the mobile phone, so he lobbed it gently at her, which she caught and gazed at curiously. "It already has all of the numbers you will need in relation to your duties as my employee." He explained as the woman continued to stare at the object like it would bite her. She had never had a cell phone before. "If you press and hold down the number one key, it will call my personal cell phone." He told her.

Sookie did this experimentally, and jumped when Eric's own phone, which was in his desk drawer blasted, " 'SAVE ME, SAVE ME, SAAAAAVE ME! I CAN'T FACE THIS LIFE ALOOONE-'!" The vampire promptly turned off the ringer, and he had a look on his face that easily said that he had not picked the ringtone. The expression also showed that he knew exactly who had chosen the ringtone.

"Pam?" Sookie guessed.

"You seemed to have reasoned out the dynamic of mine and Pam's relationship, as well as her sense of humor." Eric smirked, amused that his new employee had figured out such a thing, as well as relieved that she did not seem to take offense to Pam's jibe.

"At least she picked a good song." Sookie shrugged.

"Shall we go onto the floor now?" The vampire rose from his desk, gesturing towards the door.

The woman nodded, rising from her own chair, "So," Sookie began as they made the short trip down the hall, "what do I call you? Mr. Northman? Boss? Eric?_Master_?"

"I am quite partial to "Master" coming from your lips." He leered down at her, "However, "Eric" is acceptable."

"You can just call me Sookie." She told him, "I noticed you calling me Miss Stackhouse during the meeting."

"I thought that seeming overly familiar around your dog would upset him. Since he was your guide in the meeting, I thought it best not to do that." Eric shrugged.

"How devious of you." Sookie rolled her eyes.

"It is called being a businessman." Eric smirked.

"When do we... Do the exchange?" Sookie asked quietly before Eric opened the door to the club.

"Well, I would not want to break my own "No Biting on Premises" rule, so it will have to be somewhere else." He had broken that rule hundreds of times over, but knowing how humans tended to respond to him when he fed, he knew that the telepath would be mortified at having such an intimate moment in such a public place... At least until she got to know him. He was all too aware of how he could turn a nun into a sexual deviant given the appropriate amount of time.

Eric looked at the small blonde with a more than subtle hunger as he opened the door for her and allowed Sookie through first.

_He held the door for me?_Sookie wanted to laugh at the show of chivalry. "Is it going to hurt?" She asked.

"No worse than being beaten nearly to death. You survived that all right." Eric wanted to keep her on a roller coaster of temptation and fear. The cocktail of emotions tasted so delicious, but at the distraught look that flashed across her lovely face, he smiled reassuringly, "I will be_gentle_. I promise that my bites can be very... Enjoyable..." Truthfully, he could not wait to get a mouthful of that virgin blood of hers.

Sookie blushed at the blatant suggestion as Eric lead her towards the bar, "Long Shadow," Eric nodded at the bartender, "I presume you remember Miss Stackhouse?"

"Ah, the tasty smelling one from last night." Long Shadow grinned at her, "I take it she's in?" Eric nodded, "We should pay her extra for the side job of being our air freshener." Sookie flushed, "Mmm, that just makes you smell even sweeter." He flashed some fang at her and she resisted the urge to cringe away.

"And you already know Pam." Eric nodded his head at his Child, and seemed to communicate something to her. Pam gave Sookie a wicked smile before heading towards the backroom.

"This is Ginger." Sookie smiled nervously at the blonde waitress who barely even acknowledged her because she was too busy mooning over Eric. She was thinking how she wished Eric would feed off of her just_once more_. "That is Stephanie." A girl with jet black hair and exotic eyes nodded at her, despite her naturally dark skin, she seemed pale, but due to the strong mental images she was sending; Sookie could tell that, not only was she human, but a broadcaster as well.

"Stephanie gives me a headache." Sookie grumbled when the waitress went off with her serving tray.

"What is she thinking?" Eric asked curiously.

"The same thing every female in this club is thinking, '_Oh, Master Eric, bite me! Have sex with me!_' Stephanie just_visualizes_it very strongly." Sookie sighed.

"Every female in this club? Does that include you, Sookie?" Eric asked with raised eyebrows.

Sookie scoffed, hiding the fact that the thought had crossed her mind... Well, the sex part. Not really the biting part. That was only on her mind because she knew it was inevitable. "The biting thing... Do you go first or do I?"

"You plan to bite me?" Eric was amused.

"You know what I mean."

"I believe I should taste you first." Eric seemed contemplative, "That way, when you drink, the wound will heal and not scar." He glanced at her, "You waitress, correct?" She nodded, "I doubt you would want to sport fang marks in your other work place. Though, I do not expect you to work there much longer."

"What? Why?" He could hear the annoyance in her voice at his presumption.

"With the amount I will be paying you, you will not have to." He stated simply.

"Speaking of my job here, there's an underage girl with that group over there." She jerked her head towards the cluster of men in their early twenties, a girl of only 17 amongst them. Eric grumbled and Pam was at his side in a millisecond. The next thing Sookie knew, the teenager was being hauled out of the bar.

"Nicely done." Eric nodded approvingly.

"Just doing my job." Sookie felt like this was second nature, "Nothing too exciting going on right now. There's a woman having sex with a vampire in the ladies' room, but he's not biting her... Yet." Sookie gasped.

"What is it?" Eric frowned.

"N-nothing." Sookie's face went flame red.

"Your face says otherwise."

"It's nothing work related." Sookie squeaked.

"Tell me." Eric was intrigued.

"I've rarely been this close to people having sex." She told him softly, "He just... Yeah..." Her blush could not get any darker. On the rare occasions Jason had sex with a girl when Sookie was in the house, the telepath had merely gone down to the pond or out into the wooded area by Gran's house. Every once and a while, people would get their kink on in the bar parking lot at Merlotte's, but they were usually drunk and not thinking particularly loud or coherently.

"What did he do?" Eric ghosted his fingertips across Sookie's bare arm.

"I can't say." Sookie mumbled, the growing blush across her face quickly invading the path down her throat and across her chest. The sight of that red scourge made the vampire want to moan as the tops of her breasts went aflame..

Eric knew full well that the vampire was fucking the woman up the ass. He had heard her begging for it, as well as her satisfied moan when her mate quickly complied. Eric just wanted to know if Sookie would tell him. There was not much a thousand year old vampire could not hear in such close quarters. Even his sound proofed room was not entirely silent to him.

After introductions were complete, Eric took Sookie back to his office and nodded at Pam when he found her waiting for them. "Sookie, I know you have met Pam a couple of times. Know that she is my Child. Her loyalty to me makes her the only vampire I trust alone with you other than myself with exception of my Maker, but he is unlikely to be in much contact. She is much younger than me, but can still hold her own should she need to protect you until I can arrive. If you would be so kind, I would appreciate it if you would invite her into your home some time though it is not mandatory."

"What's one more invite?" Sookie sighed.

"Yes, we could have a sleep over." Pam replied dryly, her face completely blank.

"I get the feeling neither of us would get much sleep." Sookie gave a half-hearted glare, but at the two identical smirks the vampires wore, she realized the error in her choice of words, "I meant! No! Not that way!" Her face turned six shades of red before she shook it and said, "There was something else you mentioned last night." Sookie remembered, "You said you'd need to- Ah! Okay, okay. Ummm hmmm mmmm hmmm." Sookie covered her ears suddenly, beginning to hum loudly as her eyes darted away from Eric's face and her face went dark red again. Eric laughed.

"Are all telepaths insane like this?" Pam asked, a smirk plastered on her face at Sookie's sudden change in demeanor.

"I am now even curious. Tell me, Sookie, what are our friends in the bathroom doing now?" Eric asked. Whatever had occurred was not vocalized, and he could not be sure this time.

"He just... and then... he..." She shook her head in complete bewilderment. The worst part was... Well it was turning her on.

Both Eric and Pam's nostrils flared, "Now, I can_definitely_get used to the smell of that." Pam grinned wickedly.

"I'll be right back." Sookie stood up straight and ran out of the office and down the hall towards the back door. She was across the employee lot and running for what felt like her life through the vacant parking lot of the nearby strip mall. She had been assaulted with the images of sex all of her life, even before she knew what sex really was, but this type of sex went beyond anything she had ever telepathically witnessed.

It took some running, but Sookie finally could not see, nor hear, anyone from Fangtasia anymore. Doubling over, she took deep gasps for air, trying to quell the burning in her lungs. She did not even hear Eric approach as she was focusing on her breathing.

"Are you going to be all right?" He asked quietly.

"I don't know if I can work here." Sookie admitted in a knee jerk reaction.

"You will need to get used to that, Sookie." He told her.

Straightening up, Sookie took a deep, calming breath, "It was my own fault." She told herself. Truthfully it was. Normally, she would have been able to block out the woman in the bathroom, but her own curiosity kept making her tune back in. "I can do this."

"Good to see your resolve returning." Eric nodded. "Do you remember what you were going to ask in my office?"

Sookie thought for a moment before nodding, "Yeah... You said I would need training."

"Yes. As a human, you are going to need to learn how to act around vampires. You are less than a subordinate in their eyes. You will be seen as a pet or tool to them. I will need to train you to act this way."

"You don't treat your employees at Fangtasia that way." Sookie pointed out.

"That is because other humans are present, and on occasion, I_do_treat them that way. They seem to like it though." Eric shrugged.

"They don't have complaints, apparently." She confirmed.

"However, when I loan you out to other areas, those will be highly populated by vampires, the only humans being pets, and in those cases, you_will_be seen as an object. I will teach you to act as one."

"I don't like the sounds of that." Sookie frowned harder.

"Better that you think of it as an act. Like the act you play when you put on your big smile and take orders at the restaurant rather than smack every imbecile that thinks of you inappropriately." Eric suggested.

"You won't treat me like that when it's just us though, right?" Sookie looked to him hopefully.

"Why, Miss Stackhouse," Eric wrapped his arms around her waist, "are you implying you would like to spend a lot of time alone with me?"

Sookie could not help melting into his embrace. He seemed so solid considering how turbulent her life had become overnight. Her arms wrapped around his waist, and she rested her head against his sternum. It did not strike her as awkward not hearing his heart, but strangely soothing, as if the silence absorbed some of her woes. "You'll think I'm an idiot for saying this, but you make me feel safe."

"I am your protector now. You should feel safe around me." Eric pointed out.

"Safe and comforted don't always go hand in hand, though." Sookie told him, talking into his chest, wondering why he had not let her go yet, and hoping that he never would, "It's more than not being afraid. I feel soothed with you around, or calm, I don't know what this feeling is."

Eric stood very still, keeping her trapped in his arms, "It has been a long night, and you have already worked today. You need rest." He changed the subject, unwilling to analyze her emotions, let alone his own mental stirrings.

She still did not pull away, "I guess I should call a cab."

"I will drive you home." Eric told her, disengaging the embrace, but keeping an arm over her shoulder as he lead Sookie back towards the club. Pam was waiting at the back door, tapping her foot and smirking, "I will be driving Sookie home. Have you contacted Bobby about acquiring a vehicle for Miss Stackhouse?" He asked.

"Yes," Pam nodded, "he's already engaged an Acura RL for the time being, until he can acquire a car up to your standards."

"Y'all don't have to do that." Sookie mumbled, casting her eyes down, and trying to suppress her blushing when Pam looked pointedly at Eric's arm around her shoulder.

"You cannot get to work without a vehicle." Eric pointed out. "Pam, I will see you tomorrow evening." He nodded at his Child and lead Sookie to the cherry red Corvette that was parked near the back entrance. He opened the door for her and took her hand so she could slide into the seat. "Do you have anything to get out of your car that you do not want to lose?" Eric took Sookie's purse that Pam had brought out from his office and placed it in her lap.

"No, I don't leave anything in my car because the passenger's side door doesn't lock." Sookie was embarrassed that the extent of what a piece of junk her car was became even more obvious- especially sitting in a fancy sports car.

"Then we shall leave." Eric was in the driver's seat before Sookie even blinked.

"So, when do I start?" Sookie asked.

"What is your schedule at the bar this week?" Eric asked. She quickly told him her schedule. "I see. May I come visit you at your home after your shift tomorrow?" He asked.

"Yes." Sookie nodded. "It would be good for you to meet my Gran. I think she'd feel better about the situation if she met you." Eric nodded in agreement. Glancing at the clock on the dashboard, Sookie saw that it was a little before 3AM, and given the way Eric drove, she'd be home in no time. "I hope Gran is okay. Bill spoke at the DGD meeting tonight. I hope he didn't find out about our meeting."

"DGD?" Eric frowned.

"Descendents of the Glorious Dead. It's a Civil War enthusiasts' club." Sookie explained. "Gran's a member, and before we found out about Bill, she asked him if he'd be a guest speaker at the next meeting. That was tonight. I wanted to post-pone our meeting so she wouldn't be alone tonight, but Gran insisted I keep our appointment and that she would be fine." She was babbling, and it made Eric speed up because he could tell that Sookie was growing increasingly worried.

"Compton would not hurt your grandmother." Eric reassured her. "It is your_serial killer_that might target her."

"What?"

"He seems to be striking at those friendly to vampires. Particularly women." Eric explained.

"You don't think they'd kill a little old lady just because she wasn't a prejudice bigot, do you?" Sookie bit her lip worriedly.

"Never try and guess at the things someone will or will not kill over." Eric told her, "_I_have killed for far less."

"Yeah, but you're a vampire." Sookie scoffed.

"So I may kill indiscriminately without the question of motive?" Eric quirked an eyebrow. Turning the topic into a debate was easing Sookie's anxiety.

"Well... No, but... Guh, I can't even think of how to apply morals to vampires." She huffed.

"Do not try. Labels of 'moral' and 'shame' are just ways for humans to repress their inner selves. Vampires have long since stripped themselves of such confinements. We are freer for it, though, much more ruthless." Eric watched as Sookie fiddled with her necklace and then began twisting her bracelet around her wrist anxiously, "Is something wrong?" He asked, "You are fidgeting." The vampire did not bother mentioning that her heart was hammering deafeningly loud.

"I just don't feel good. Like I can't breathe right, and my heart's pounding." Sookie told him, "Do you know what a panic attack is? 'Cause I think I'm having one."

"Do I make you that nervous?" Eric asked, listening to her heart slam against her ribs.

"It's not you. I just... I can't describe it. It's like someone's told me something bad has happened, but I don't know what it is." Sookie whispered, her voice choking with the pain of her straining heart. Why did it feel like the day she found out her parents had died? Tears were already springing to her eyes, and she really did not want to cry in front of Eric. "Please... Please get me home." She choked.

**TBC**

**A/N: PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW! I LOVE THE FEEDBACK!**

**-ANDI**


	4. Chapter 4

Trouble Maker

_A/N: Welcome back, Readers, and happy almost Tuesday! Perhaps I should just start saying I'll post Monday nights, since that seems to be what keeps happening! None-the-less, I hope you enjoy the latest installment. And as always, thank you to my beta, **Nerdygirl**, for taking time out of her life to make my writing so much more presentable!_

_-Andi_

**Chapter Four: Cold Comfort**

As Eric pulled into Sookie's rugged, gravel driveway, he glanced at Sookie. He could already smell blood in the air. "Sookie, you need to invite me into your house." He told her quietly. "Stay very close to me." Eric was instantaneously opening the passenger's door and helping her out.

"Eric, please come inside." Sookie whispered over her clenched throat, her hands gripping Eric's forearm tightly.

"Do not turn on any lights." Eric murmured to her as he opened the back door and stepped inside. Closing his eyes, he listened intently. There was nothing to hear.

"Stay right here, and do not move." Eric told her, backing Sookie against a wall next to the door, "I will be right back." He was gone before she could object, and Sookie's hand reached for the knob of the back door- ready to bolt. Her eyes were adjusting slowly, and all she could see was the vaguest outline of Eric hunched over in the kitchen. As she stood in darkness, Sookie noticed the strangest smell in the kitchen. She could not place the odor, but it was so peculiar that she could almost taste it on her tongue. Memories of pretending Gran's penny collection was a pile of buried treasure; warm, moist hands from holding piles of the copper coins. Cupping her empty hands and holding them to her face, breathing deep and smelling-

"Sookie," Eric was beside her again, jarring the telepath from her reverie, "come outside with me."

"Eric, what's going on?" Sookie felt off balance from the spontaneous flashback.

"Sookie, come outside with me." He said again, more firmly. She allowed Eric to practically lift her from the floor and carry her outside.

"Eric?" Sookie's eyes were damp and pleading- shining in the sliver of moonlight.

"Sookie, your grandmother is dead. She was murdered in the kitchen." Eric told her quietly, and was surprised how quickly he had to move to catch her as she darted for the house.

"You're _LYING_!" Sookie screamed, struggling against his iron hold on her. "GRAN! GRAN!" She shrieked to the shadowed siding of her childhood home. Sookie had never realized how grave and haunted the farmhouse appeared in the nighttime. How foreboding its silhouette seemed.

"Sookie, what happen-"

"Stop where you are, Compton." Eric snarled, as he kept Sookie in his vice-like grip, clutching her against his chest to keep her from flailing and hurting herself like a frenzied wild animal.

"Eric..." Bill hesitated at the edge of the property. What was Sookie doing with _Eric?_

"Would you like to explain how a woman gets murdered a few acres away from you, and you do not do anything about it?" Eric growled.

"Murdered?" Bill frowned, and then smelled the air, "Adele?"

"Sookie's grandmother is..." He glanced at Sookie and chose his words heedfully, "in the kitchen."

"My invitation was rescinded this evening." Bill glowered. "So it obviously wasn't me."

Sookie broke into sobs, "Would someone just call the _fucking police!?_" She choked out, her fingers tangled in the front of Eric's shirt while her tears wetted the material. Bill grimaced and took out his cell phone as Sookie started falling to the ground in hiccups and tears. Bill was surprised to see Eric kneel down in the grass and keep his arms around Sookie as her tears and snot soaked into his long sleeves.

Shortly after the police arrived, Sam Merlotte pulled up in his truck and barely had it in park before he was running at Sookie, leaving the cab door wide open and distracting the flashing red and blue lights of the emergency vehicles with the interior light, "Sookie, Sookie, what happened!?" Sam crouched down and started brushing tears from her face, though her sobbing had subsided a bit. Now she just sat on the damp earth in the unwavering strength of Eric's arms. Her expression was dazed, disbelieving, as the bedlam of the early morning hours danced chaotically around the yard of the farmhouse.

"Gran's dead. Someone killed her. I shoulda been here. I shouldn't have left her alone. I shoulda come home with you instead of staying out. I-"

"Hush now, Little One." Eric soothed quietly into her ear, "The only thing that would have been different if you had been here, is that two women would be dead tonight instead of one."

"Any idea when... When it happened?" Sam asked softly.

"1 AM." Sookie murmured, "That's what the coroner's thinking. How'd you know to come?"

"Police scanner." Sam said quickly, "Sookie, I didn't get home until almost 2. You wouldn't've been home in time even if you left with me. Don't blame yourself." Sam brushed some more silent tears from her cheeks.

"But... I knew something would happen. I wanted to cancel the meeting when I realized Gran would be alone tonight. I should've-"

"SOOKIE!" Sookie looked up to see her brother walking at her hastily, anger and urgency in his eyes. She had not even noticed his truck pull up with all of the activity already in progress. Brushing off Eric's arms, Sookie went to give her brother a comforting hug. As she reached out her arms, she was staggered as her Jason slapped her hard across the face. When she stumbled towards the ground, Eric caught her at the waist to keep her from falling. In the same motion, the vampire had Jason by the throat and off of the ground.

"If you _ever_strike this woman again, I will rip your fucking arms off." Eric would have done it that second if there were not so many witnesses.

"Eric, Eric, that's my brother!" Sookie explained frantically.

Eric squeezed harder on Jason's throat, "Your _brother_struck you?" He was appalled, and dropped Jason from his grip to fall in a heap upon the grass, "Stay away from her, you cur." Eric sneered.

"This is all your fucking fault!" Jason choked out from his spot on the ground. "Sheriff Dearborn just called me and told me what happened. This is all your fault, you vamp slut!" Jason started crying as he sat on the dewy lawn and rocked ever so slightly with his forehead pressed to his knees.

Sookie clung to Eric hard; her world was slipping away beneath her feet. She felt light headed.

"Merlotte," Eric said quietly, forcing himself to ignore Jason's comments and accusations, "can I trust that you will stay with Sookie during the day?"

"Of course." Sam nodded, averting his eyes as they brought Adele's body out of the house.

"I ne-need t-to see her!" Sookie broke from Eric's arms, which he allowed, but he followed closely as Sookie stopped the coroner. Mike Spencer gave her a sad look as he peeled back the bag and exposed Adele's pale, lifeless face. Sookie sobbed as she leaned forward and kissed her Gran's forehead. As much pain and grief it caused the telepath to see her grandmother, mother, best friend and confidant in such a despairing way, Sookie could not let Adele leave the ancestral farmhouse for the last time without a quivering kiss goodbye, or the choked utterance, "I love you, Gran." She tried so hard to block out Spencer's thoughts when she said this, but it was obvious that he thought, as well as every other human present, that Adele's death was a direct result of Sookie's actions.

Silently, Mike covered Adele back up and loaded her into the back of the van. Soon after, the police left, and Sookie stood on the front lawn with an angry Jason, a solemn Bill, a nervous Sam, and an unreadable Eric. It was only a minute before Jason stomped off towards his truck without so much as a glare at his sister. The man took off into the night, tires kicking up gravel that Eric had to shield Sookie from. Jason Stackhouse would be lucky to survive much longer if he did not get his shit together, Eric promised himself.

"Sookie, I will stay until the sun calls me away, but Sam will be there while you sleep, and when you wake up." Eric whispered. "Merlotte, can you return an hour before dawn?" He asked of Sam, who had followed as well.

"Yeah, I'll just run home and grab a change of clothes and be right back." Sam nodded.

"I will stay with her until I can no longer." He glanced back at Bill, "Compton, I will need a place to stay. Do you have accommodations?"

Bill nodded, "Yes."

"I will come by just before dawn. You are dismissed." Eric commanded. Bill nodded silently and took off.

Sweeping Sookie up into his arms, Eric took her to her bedroom, setting her gently on the bed. She appeared almost catatonic by this point.

"Sookie," Eric knelt down and began removing her shoes, tossing them aside, "can you prepare yourself for bed?"

"I couldn't sleep if I wanted." She mumbled, her brain seeming sluggish, but somehow moving too fast for her to keep up.

"You must sleep." Eric prodded quietly, going through her drawers and finding a suitable nightgown. "Here," he handed the clothing to her, "wash up, change and come to bed."

Sookie took the gown from him and went to the bathroom on auto-pilot. When she emerged, Eric had already turned down the bed for her and beckoned her into it. "I didn't know you could be sweet." She said absentmindedly as she slipped between the sheets he had drawn back.

Eric chose not to reply, instead, tucked her in and sat on the edge of the bed beside her.

"Lie here with me for a bit?" She asked meekly, not caring that she was asking for comfort from Eric, nearly a complete stranger. He did not object, or make any indication of annoyance, merely slid into position beside her.

Soothing back her hair, Eric thought about how the _hell_he managed to be here, doing these things for her. "Sleep, Little One. I will take care of everything."

Sookie did not think she could be glamoured, but on some level, it must have been possible because she was asleep the next time she went to blink her eyes.

Once he was sure she would not awaken Eric clipped an earpiece to his ear and dialed his day man. As he cleaned up the kitchen, he coordinated Adele Stackhouse's funeral, giving Sookie's contact information for anything she may need to change or want to do herself. By the time Sam came back, the kitchen was cleaned, and the funeral taken care of.

"You work fast." Sam was leaning in the kitchen doorway.

"Yes, well, I have had to clean many messes like this." Eric replied, standing up to his full height. "I will be back tomorrow at first dark."

Sam nodded, "I expected as much. Honestly, though, Northman, if someone had told me this morning that you were capable of all this, I would have argued."

"She needs to be taken care of. I can already tell that her brother is worthless." Eric grumbled. "I knew from the moment I saw her that she needed a lot of things, I just did not realize how desperately. She is a magnet for danger and drama."

"She wasn't until vampires started coming around." Sam leered.

"You can thank her cousin for that. Had her gift not been exposed, she may have been left alone to raise puppies with you." Eric smirked.

Sam clenched his fists, "You think she'll end up with _you_?"

"I do."

"Why would you think that?" Sam snarled.

"Because I want her."

"You can't give her what she needs."

"And you can?" Eric challenged.

"I may not be the best guard dog, but at least I can care about her. At least I can, and do, love her." Sam fought back.

"The sun will be rising soon. I must leave." Eric frowned, "Until tonight." Eric nodded and left, heading towards the Compton house.

Sam took off his clothes and changed into his collie form, curling up on the end of Sookie's bed, making sure to cover her feet to keep them warm. He slept lightly until he felt Sookie stir, and then he was up and left just long enough to change back to a human and put on his clothes.

"Morning, Sam." Sookie's voice was dull and quiet.

"Morning, Sookie." Sam hugged her. It felt so empty to her, so uncomfortable.

"Did you sleep?" She asked, still quietly.

"A few hours, yeah." He nodded. "Why don't you come to the kitchen with me? I'll make us some eggs and coffee." He put his arm over her shoulder, but she ducked out of the gesture. "Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry." Sookie shook her head, "I just... It just feels weird for you to do that." She struggled for an explanation to the aversion. He was just too... _warm_. His arms did not offer any security. She felt vulnerable with his arms about her, not protected.

"C'mon, sit down." He gestured to the table.

Sookie looked at the little round table and remembered how yesterday morning; she had sat there with Gran, discussing the whole mess with vampires. Tears flooded her eyes, but she fought them back. She had too much to do today.

After she and Sam finished eating, Sookie jumped when the phone rang. Sam picked it up. "Stackhouse residence... Yeah, Sookie's here." He handed her the phone.

"Hello?" Sookie rasped into the phone.

"_Miss Stackhouse_?" An unfamiliar man's voice came over the line.

"Yes?"

"_My name is Bobby Burnham, an employee of Mr. Northman. He called early this morning, and explained to me of your loss. My deepest condolences, Miss._"

"Thank you." Sookie murmured.

"_I've already spoken to the funeral home in your area, and everything is all set. I'm on my way to your __residence now so that you and I can discuss the flower arrangements and you can pick out a casket for your grandmother to rest in._" He said somberly.

"Oh... I didn't realize-"

"_Mr. Northman told me to make my top priority getting this in order for you. He knew this would be very difficult, and wanted to make things as simple as possible._" Bobby explained, "_I should be there in about a half an hour. Would you like me to hold back a bit? I understand if you need more time before I arrive_."

"N-no, I can meet with you in half an hour." She assured and Sam gave her a confused look. "You know how to get here?"

"_Yes, Miss. I'll see you in thirty minutes. Goodbye_." Bobby hung up and Sookie handed the phone back to Sam.

"What was that?" Sam had heard the whole conversation, but he could not believe it.

"Eric had one of his employees begin coordinating the funeral." Sookie answered hollowly before rising, "I need to get showered and dressed. Gran... Gran would be ashamed if I wasn't presentable for company."

"I'll get the living room straightened up for you, Cher." Sookie clenched her eyes when he called her that.

"Thank you, Sam." She murmured before heading to the bathroom to get ready.

Adele Stackhouse took great pride in her home, which left little for Sam to straighten up. By the time Sookie emerged again, everything was in perfect order.

Bobby Burnham was a decent middle-aged man, and he made things as simple as possible for Sookie. He spoke in a somber tone, and guided Sookie through the details as well as any funeral director would have. In a little over an hour, everything was set for Bobby to go to the funeral home and finish up the instructions. The burial would be the next morning, for Sookie remembered how Gran always shuddered at the thought of her body being on display during a wake.

"Sam, I think I'm going to take a nap." Sookie told him in a hushed tone. She just could not bring herself to raise her voice much above a whisper.

"Okay, Sookie. Get some rest." Sam gave her an encouraging smile.

Sliding beneath the covers, still completely clothed, Sookie quickly fell asleep, feeling emotionally drained. When she woke up again, it was dark, and Eric was lying next to her above the covers, twisting the ends of her hair between his fingers.

"Welcome back." Eric whispered.

"I miss her so much." Sookie whispered back.

"I know you do." Eric replied, still playing absentmindedly with her hair.

"It's my fault, you know." She turned over into his chest, burrowing her face against his body. The scent of him seemed to fill her with the only warmth she had experienced since the previous evening.

"No, Sookie, it is not your fault. From what I have heard, Adele was a target as well as you, for her acceptance of vampires. It seems the serial killer in your quaint little town targets anyone who does not blindly hate vampires." Eric told her. "He will never touch you, though."

"Thank you for having Mr. Burnham do all of that for me." Sookie changed the subject.

"You are welcome." Eric ran his fingers through her hair from her scalp to the very ends.

"Did you also clean the kitchen?" She asked.

"I did."

"You didn't have to."

"No, I did not have to." Eric realized the full weight of that task once he spoke it aloud. Why _had_he cleaned up? It would have been no small task bringing someone else in to clean, or leaving it for Merlotte. However, Eric knew that he did not want anyone else other than Merlotte in the house that night. The Shifter's obvious affection for Sookie made Sam the only individual in all of Bon Temps that Eric trusted with the young woman's safety. Eric had also not left the clean-up for Merlotte, merely because he did not wish to leave room open for distraction, and the serial killer an opportunity to slip by, regardless of how unlikely that would have been.

"Thank you."

"Again, you are welcome." Eric buried the smallest smile into her hair. Had he known that Sookie's gratitude would feel this good, he might have been less calculating in his reasoning for the helping hand. Looking up, Sookie caught Eric's gaze and leaned in to capture his lips, but he pulled back gently. "No, Sookie, I will hold you, and I will let you cry into me, but I will not kiss you or anything else. You are too raw right now to make such brash decisions." He put his finger to her lips. "If you still wish to kiss me after you are no longer so distressed, I will gladly comply."

"For that," Sookie whispered, "I will definitely want to kiss you." He smiled gently at her, "I didn't know you could be sweet." She sighed, pressing her face back against his chest.

"You said that last night, too." Eric pointed out.

"Once more, and I'll know you really are sweet." She replied.

"Sookie, I know that this is not the best time to bring these things up, but I think you should know a few things." Eric began quietly, trying to not break the peace, "What has Bill Compton told you about vampire blood?"

"When I drank his, he told me later that it heals, obviously, I'd have keener senses, and my ummm... My libido would be more active." Sookie blushed ever so slightly at the last admittance.

"He did not tell you that it would make you want him? That it would provoke dreams about him in you?" Eric asked restraining a growl.

"No... He didn't." Sookie frowned.

"Did he also neglect to tell you that if you were to mutually exchange blood with him three times, that you would be bound to him? Or that drinking his blood would allow him to feel your emotions?" Eric asked, keeping his tone as level as possible.

"No. He didn't tell me any of that, either." She frowned deeper. "What do you mean by "bound" to Bill?"

"It is the same with any vampire. After three blood exchanges, a vampire can form a blood bond with a human. A blood bond can be taken one of two ways: a vampire can honor the bond and take a human as a legal mate amongst vampires by Pledging, or, more commonly, turn a human into a blood slave. Either way, the human and vampire will have the ability to feel each other from large distances. Also, they would know what the other was feeling, how they were emotionally."

"Bill would have made me a blood slave, wouldn't he?" Sookie whispered.

"More than likely, yes." Eric nodded slightly, "And because of his youth, the bond would have enslaved you to most of the older vampires- myself included. Of course, being half of a bonded pair is much safer for a vampire in some respects, since a bond cannot be transferred. A blood slave can. Blood slaves care very little where their supply is coming from, so long as they are receiving regular doses of vampire blood. Blood slaves are much more common than a bonded couple, despite that perk. Mostly, because since a slave can be sold, and a bonded cannot. I have not witnessed an honored blood bond in nearly three centuries. In the last few years however, even blood slaves are becoming rare."

"Why's that?" Sookie was letting him lull her out of her depression. Intrigue replacing despair for the time being.

Eric smiled as he noticed her mood alleviating slightly, "Fang bangers. We do not have to use our blood to enslave humans anymore. They will willingly offer their servitude to us for the _honor_of being bitten by us. A few of us will grace them with our own blood on occasion, but only if they taste particularly good." Sookie rolled her eyes, "You will definitely be worthy of my blood. Compton's was not worthy of your lips."

A faint blush filled Sookie's cheeks, "Why do you say that?"

"The potency of a vampire's blood grows with age, like a fine wine. A taste of Bill's blood should have made you want him a lot more than you seem to. And yet, you have not tasted me, and want me more than him. My blood is strong." Eric was grinning.

Sookie rolled her eyes, "Full of yourself much?" She snickered.

"Very. And I will be happy to make you full of me too... Someday." Eric was grinning that Cheshire cat smile again, the one that seemed so peculiar on a vampire's face, but suited _this_vampire quite well, given the complimenting sultry burn of his eyes. "Get some more rest, Little One; you have a very long day ahead of you tomorrow."

Sookie's eyes sobered quickly, jarred back into reality, "Why do you call me that sometimes?"

"What?" Eric asked.

"Little One."

"Because you are small and young. It is befitting." Eric shrugged simply.

"In comparison to you- _everyone_is small and young." Sookie rolled her eyes.

"My Maker used to call me Young One." Eric told her softly, "It is one of the few sentiments I still acknowledge."

"Oh..." Sookie did not know why that caused a stirring in her. She had only known Eric a couple of days, and here he was showing all of this... What was it? He was not expressing much emotion, other than amusement and somber attitude interchangeably. But every once and a while, he would say something like that, and it would feel like he was trying to comfort her by revealing a bit about himself. "What's your Maker like?" Sookie whispered.

"It would bore you." Eric chuckled.

"You wanted me to sleep." Sookie reminded him, and he laughed.

Quietly, Eric began to tell her about his Maker, Godric, about how he was turned after a fatal wounding in battle. How Godric had come, killed his remaining men and their exchange before his Maker had taken his life. Eric quickly realized that his story was having the opposite effect on Sookie. Rather than drifting off to sleep, her eyes were wide and taking in everything he was saying, like a child captivated with a fairy tale. "Maybe I should tell you about my three decades in the Himalayas? That is a _very_boring story."

"Tell me." Sookie snuggled against his chest.

"It was cold." After a long pause, Sookie realized that was the story and shook her head with a soft smile upon her lips. "What?"

"Three decades, and that's all you can say? It was cold?" She was still smirking. "Will you be back tomorrow night?" She asked after her amusement subsided.

"Yes." Eric told her without hesitation, his hand tracing idly up and down the curve of her side.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome." He nodded.

"You know what's weird?" Sookie yawned.

"What is weird?"

"Everyone was saying how mean and cruel you are, but you're not. You've been very nice to me considering you hardly know me." She snuggled deeper into his chest, another yawn threatening.

"I can be mean, and very cruel. Mostly I am unimpressed, bored, or to the point. The cruelty is just assumed because of my overall attitude. However, I have been known to snap more than a few necks to make a point. I have tortured, assassinated, and many other dark things. Most, but not all, were a necessity." Eric explained.

"Why aren't you unimpressed, bored, or to the point with me?" Sookie asked, ignoring his other enlightenments.

"Because you are impressive, you delight me, and I do not want to get to the point because I like listening to you speak. You are quite entertaining, Sookie." Eric smiled gently.

"You're just impressed with me because I'm a telepath." Sookie pouted.

"I summoned you to my throne before I knew such a thing. You also know that I wanted you before I knew. I even asked Bill if I could have you." Eric reminded her. "You just do not understand how covetable you are, Sookie." Pulling her tighter into his arms he murmured, "I have kept you awake long enough. You should sleep."

Sookie pouted again, "You'll stay, right?"

"Until dawn forces me to leave." Eric agreed.

"This must be boring for you." Sookie sighed, snuggling against him and closing her eyes.

"I already told you that you do not bore me." Eric smiled, but his reply fell on deaf ears. Sookie was already asleep again.

**TBC**

**A/N: PLEASE, REMEMBER TO REVIEW, EVERYONE! I LOVE WAKING UP TO YOUR COMMENTS, AND ESPECIALLY LOOK FORWARD TO READING THEM AT WORK ON TUESDAY MORNINGS!**

**-ANDI**


	5. Chapter 5

**Trouble Maker**

_A/N: Happy Tuesday, Readers! __As always, thanks to **Nerdygirl** for her endless support, and all the time she spends fixing my issues. Both grammatical and psychological._

_-Andi_

**Chapter Five: First Taste**

Falling on the couch, Sookie let out a tired sigh that formed into a sob in the back of her throat. This was the longest day of her life, and she just wanted the sun to go down. Strange, she was such a sun worshipper with her tanning, but now she waited for the night with great fervor.

The funeral was beautiful, thanks to Eric and Bobby, but it did little to comfort her. A floral arrangement arrived from Eric and his staff for the funeral. That was how it was worded- "From Northman and Staff"- so that people would not recognize that it had come from vampires. Everything was going as smoothly as a funeral could go until Uncle Bartlett had arrived and thrown Sookie's center of gravity into a downward spiral. How could Jason do that to her? Sookie knew that her brother was unaware of the specifics behind Uncle Bartlett's rejection from the family, but still, Jason _did _know that Gran had barred him from ever contacting them again. Then the infamous moment during her eulogy when Sookie had told everyone to shut the fuck up! She sighed, how could she even_ think _of going to work again.

"Sookie?" Her head popped up as the familiar voice sought her out.

"Right here." Sookie smiled weakly at Eric as he came into the living room. His giant form sat on the couch beside her, opening his arms so she could curl up against him like a needy kitten. "Thank you for sending flowers."

"You are welcome. Were they addressed appropriately? I specified that Fangtasia not be mentioned, nor that there be any sign that they came from vampires." Eric told her softly.

"No, they were very proper. It said Northman and Staff." She assured him, "It was very sweet; considering you never got a chance to meet Gran."

"It must be true." Eric chuckled.

"What?" Sookie frowned, looking up at him awkwardly.

"You said last night that if you called me sweet again, then I must really be sweet." Eric reminded her, making her chuckle softly.

"Eric," Sookie began slowly, "can we get out of here? I need to get out of this house for a bit."

"Of course. What would you like to do?" Eric asked.

"I don't care. We can just drive around or go anywhere. I just need to get out of Bon Temps for a while." Sookie told him.

"All right. You go change, and then we will leave." Eric released her from his arms and Sookie walked off towards her bedroom.

Before she was even out of the living room, Sookie asked, "Anything specific I need to wear?"

"Just be warm and comfortable." He smiled softly and Sookie nodded.

She came back a few minutes later in a pair of snug jeans and a thin, long-sleeved red shirt with a scoop neck. As simple as she was dressed, Eric thought she still looked elegant.

Once they were in Eric's corvette, Sookie felt a lot better, and even more so when they were out of Bon Temps. She let out a relieved sigh.

"You are happier." Eric observed.

"Yeah, I feel better knowing that I'm not surrounded by everyone who's blaming me. I blame myself enough already." She smiled weakly.

"I have told you already. It was not your fault. Unfortunately, people need someone to blame, and since they do not know the actual culprit, you are the next available target for their anger." Eric told her. "You should know something though. Your grandmother _was _a target, not just you."

"How could you know something like that?" Sookie demanded.

"Your car was not there, Sookie. The killer knew his victims well enough to know when they were home, and where they lived. He would not have gone into that house with your car gone, because he would have known you to not be there. Your grandmother's car _was _there, and the killer knew that. So, why enter a home where the intended victim was not present, and then not stick around after killing the witness?"

"Where was Bill during all of this?" Sookie demanded next.

"He said he was at Merlotte's, and Sam checked with the waitresses and they confirmed it. Apparently, his speech at the... DGD was it? Went very well, and some of the attendees invited him for a drink." He told her.

"Couldn't he have just glamoured everyone into giving him an alibi?" Sookie asked haughtily.

"He could have, but I would have known. A mass glamour is easily recognized if you know what you are looking for, and it would have been obvious to the Shifter if that were the case." Eric explained, "That was not the case."

Sookie sighed with defeat, "I guess I'm looking for someone to blame, too."

"Yes, and it is not like you." Eric sounded contemplative.

"You haven't known me long enough to know that." Sookie snapped.

"Something has you upset other than the funeral." Eric noticed, "Did something happen today?"

"I don't want to talk about it." She said shortly.

"Very well." Eric nodded, not pushing. He had his own way of getting information out of her. It would take time, but he would find out what had her so irritable.

"Are we just driving, or are we going somewhere?" Sookie asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I thought I would take you to dinner. You seem like you have not eaten today."

"Oh, no, I haven't. Thank you." Sookie smiled gently.

"There is a good steakhouse, so I am told, just down the road from Fangtasia." He informed her, "They also sell True Blood."

"Good. I'd feel bad if you were just sitting around watching me eat." She giggled.

Eric smiled, "That is the first time I have heard you giggle today." He realized.

"Really?" Sookie frowned slightly, "I thought it would be a long time away before I could laugh again; even a little."

"Everyone grieves differently." Eric told her, "There is no appropriate amount of time for tears, or a time in which everyone has recovered by. If you want to smile or laugh, then do so, and enjoy those moments of joviality. And when you need to collapse into grief, just remember that I am here to keep you safe in your moments of weakness."

"You seem to know a lot about these things, for a vampire." Sookie pointed out, feeling warm inside at his declaration to protect her while she cried. Somehow it seemed that he was saying that he was her shoulder to cry on, too, not just watch her back. Though he had proved the accuracy of that observation many times over since that horrible night in the kitchen, it still felt comforting to hear.

"I have been around a long time, Little One. I have learned a lot in that time; including how to read and understand emotions I do not necessarily feel anymore."

"You've never grieved?" Sookie asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Not since becoming a vampire."

"When was the last time?"

"When my eldest was slain." Eric's expression did not falter. He could have been speaking of a complete stranger for the lack of emotion he showed.

"Your eldest... Child? Like, you had kids?" Sookie was surprised.

"I had a human life once before, Sookie, and all of the human embellishments. I had a wife and children over a thousand years ago.

"How many children did you have?" Sookie asked.

"Eight, though two did not live passed infancy, and one was a stillborn. My eldest was a daughter, three sons, and then my youngest was a daughter as well."

"Wow..." That was all Sookie could manage to utter at first. "Your family tree must be _huge _by now."

Eric laughed, "My third oldest son and my youngest daughter were by my second wife. My first wife died giving birth to my third son whom was stillborn."

"You didn't grieve for your first wife?" Sookie asked.

"I did not say that. I said that the _last _time I grieved was for my eldest. She was the last surviving member of my family. I grieved for all of them." Eric told her.

Sookie felt bad about her "huge family tree" comment now. "I'm sorry."

"Those were the times. I was particularly unlucky with my human associations, but then I was often away in battle." Eric explained.

Sookie wanted off of the topic of death, "How many languages do you speak?" She asked.

"I speak fourteen that are still in use, and then another six that are no longer used." Eric told her.

"Woah... I just know a little French 'cause I'm from Louisiana! Do you speak French?" She asked.

"I do." Eric nodded as he pulled into a parking lot, and the smell of grilling meat filled Sookie's nostrils making her stomach grumble.

"Cool, maybe you could teach me some more French. I kept telling myself I would be able to speak it fluently one day." She laughed.

"I could teach you many languages." Eric smiled, "I will probably teach you Swedish, too."

"Why?" Sookie frowned.

"It is the language Pam and I communicate in regularly, although we do switch over to Russian or German now and again. My Maker and I speak in Old Norse."

"Don't you get rusty at any of them." Sookie asked as Eric opened her door for her and held his hand out for her to take.

"Not really "_rusty_", but the slangs evolve over time in the common languages, and we tend to sound overly formal a lot of the time." Eric smirked.

"Is that why you don't use contractions?" Sookie asked.

Eric laughed, "English was one of the last languages I learned, and because I use several languages daily, I never bothered to embrace the use of contractions. On occasion, I will use them, though it is usually when I am playing off of another's words. However, I did not notice my considerable aversion to them. No one has ever commented on their absence before." He glanced at her, "I am surprised you would notice such a thing."

Sookie giggled, "I caught on when you said that you tend to sound "overly formal". I started thinking back and realized why you always sound so... _elegant_. It's because you don't use contractions."

"Ah, I see." Eric chuckled as well, not even glancing away from Sookie to address the hostess. "Two." He said and the hostess nodded, grabbing a pair of menus.

After the hostess handed over the menus and left, leaving Sookie and Eric to wait for their server, Sookie murmured, "I'm surprised we got a table so easily."

Eric smiled, "There are several restaurants, clubs, and lounges I have tables and booths on reserve at- for a fee of course."

"Really?" Sookie was surprised.

"Sometimes I prefer to conduct business away from Fangtasia. It is not the type of place some of my associates would enjoy." Eric explained.

"You own more than just Fangtasia?" Sookie asked.

"I own several businesses as well as co-own many more." Eric tented his fingertips. "Pam and Long Shadow co-own Fangtasia with me. I own fifty percent, and the other two have twenty-five each."

"How do you keep track of all of it?" Sookie asked, perusing her menu without much interest, just looking for the cheapest thing available considering every entree was $18+. Too bad she was not a vampire in a situation like this; you could only mark up a bottle of True Blood by so much before you looked like a complete jack-ass. Then again, a bottle of True Blood _here_was twelve dollars. _Is the owner trying to piss vampires off? _Sookie wondered.

"I have several people running my businesses, and with modern technology I have managed to acquire even more businesses and keep track of them. I talk to accountants, managers and other employees regularly to track their progresses." Eric told her, his voice smooth and hinting on boredom.

"You don't seem too interested in what you do." Sookie noted by his tone.

"They allow me a luxurious lifestyle, and maintaining them is something to do, but none of them appeal to me in particular." He replied. "They also allow me to spread the benefits on to my employees."

"Like my car-"

"Which will be arriving tomorrow morning." Eric nodded. "The Acura will only be until a more suitable vehicle can be found and installed with the features I would like your car to have."

"What kind of features?" Sookie was flabbergasted.

"Reinforced steel frame, bullet resistant windows and exterior, probably a k20 engine. We will see. I need your car to be fast." Eric told her.

"Why's that?"

"An escape vehicle."

"Oh."

The waitress arrived at that moment. Her name was Michelle, and she turned to Sookie for her order.

"Um, just a diet Coke and the blanched artichoke-"

"Michelle," Eric interrupted, "I believe you have caught my companion unprepared. Will you please get her drink and allow her a bit more time to peruse the menu?" He asked, his tone pleasant and chocolaty smooth.

"Of course." Michelle got stars in her eyes from the smile Eric shown on her before turning, dazedly, away.

"I knew what I wanted." Sookie frowned.

"You picked the cheapest thing on the menu, Sookie." He smiled knowingly, "I chose the restaurant, and I will pay for your meal."

"But-"

"No "buts"," Eric took her hand from across the table, "your meal will not so much as cause me to look twice at the costs. I have spent more money buying Pam a tube of lipstick. In fact, I think you could order everything on this menu and not even come near how much I spend on my Child's make-up in the amount of time it would take you to order them all." Sookie smirked, "Now, find what you really want, and enjoy it."

Sookie nodded and looked back at the menu. When Michelle came back, she ordered the porterhouse steak, her eyes glancing shyly at Eric, but he just smiled and nodded. Though it was refreshing to be in the company of a woman _not_ trying to take advantage of his wealth, the vampire wanted Sookie realize that he was not extravagant for appearance or by nature, but could afford indulgences. Also, it was extremely satisfying to spoil the young woman before him. Her shy appreciations created a strange sensation in his body, but it was a very welcome phenomenon.

As they waited for Sookie's steak, Eric began familiarizing himself with her life, "How long have you worked at Merlotte's?"

"Oh, a little over four years." Sookie smiled, "Sam's the first boss I've had that hasn't gotten on my nerves. Everyone else I've worked for couldn't stop staring at my boobs, and it's even worse when you can hear what they want to do with what they're staring at." She rolled her eyes.

"It is definitely a good thing that you cannot hear _my _thoughts then." Eric smirked.

Sookie gave the blond across the table a coquettish leer, "Well, if all my bosses looked like you, I might not have minded so much." She gave him a playful wink.

"Why, Miss Stackhouse, are you trying to entice me?" Eric feigned shock.

"Maybe I'm trying to provoke that kiss you denied me last night." She hinted without any subtlety.

Deciding to change the subject before she could do just that, Eric softened his tone, "Tell me about your grandmother." He requested carefully.

Sookie smiled sadly, "She was... My _Gran_." She shrugged as if just that was all the explanation needed to describe the wonderful woman- like there were no sequences of words to sum it up better than that, "She took my brother Jason and I in after our parents died. She raised us the best she could considering how little we had. She'd stay up until I got home from work, reading cheesy romance or mystery novels. She made the best country style biscuits and gravy in Louisiana. She was the only one that didn't see my disability as a curse, and she never accused or reprimanded me for peeking into her thoughts by accident." Sookie gave another weak shrug, "She was my gran."

Eric smiled softly, "I am sorry that she was taken from you like that." It surprised him how earnest he sounded, as well as how truthful his condolences felt.

Sookie looked at him strangely, "It's weird hearing a vampire apologize for someone dying- especially when they weren't the one who did the killin'."

Eric smirked, "Yes, I suppose that it is strange. I can tell that your grandmother meant a great deal to you, though."

"She did." Sookie nodded.

"You seem to be handling this entire situation well." Eric was surprised.

"Gran raised me right." She grinned toothily, but he could see the strain in that grin, "She used to say what's in the past is in the past- let it go and keep moving forward." Sookie nodded firmly, "Crying isn't gonna bring her back, so I just got to remember her fondly, remember what she's taught me, and live my life."

"That is a good way of looking at it. But as they say, "it is easier said than done"." Eric pointed out.

With a bemused smile, Sookie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's a lot harder than it sounds." She sighed.

When Sookie's steak came, she fell silent and began to eat, Eric watching her contemplatively.

"You know," Sookie began after swallowing a rather large bite of food, "Bill hated hanging out with me when I was eating." She told Eric.

"Really?" Eric found her fascinating, even while she ate.

"Yeah, I think it kinda grossed him out to watch me eat." She blushed with a bit of embarrassment.

"Do you find it disgusting to watch a vampire feed?" Eric asked.

"Well, I don't cringe when y'all drink True Blood." Sookie shrugged, "But I get the feelin' you mean when you're drinkin' from the tap." She laughed and so did Eric. "But... I don't find it... _Gross_. But it's kind of embarrassing to watch." She admitted.

"Embarrassing?" Eric was amused.

"Well, yeah... I mean- it seems too intimate or sexual. Y'know, like it should be done in private." Sookie tried to explain.

"Feeding does usually coincide with sexual activity." Eric nodded in agreement, "Unless, of course, we are starving. In which case, our meal does not survive, and we must find another to sate our _other hunger_." His eyes burned like blue fire as he spoke that last part, and Sookie could not help the twinge she felt in her nether regions. She noticed the slightest twitch of Eric's nostrils, and her face burned with embarrassment. "Is it the thought of being bitten or the thought of being seduced by a vampire that has you aroused?" Eric asked in a low, sultry voice.

"I-I'm not sure." She admitted in shock.

Eric, mercifully, broke their eye contact and leaned back into the chair, releasing her from his gaze, "Finish your meal." Sookie ate quickly, barely savoring the delicious steak.

When she finished, Eric dropped a one hundred dollar bill on the table and they left without waiting for the waitress to bring the bill.

"What would you like to do now?" Eric asked as he placed his hand in the dip of her waist and lead her back to his car. "Are you ready to go back home?"

"No." Sookie shook her head, "I'd rather not go back until I have to." She told him with a smile, "It feels too good being away." She sucked in a deep breath of night air and Eric became captivated as her entire spine arched like a ballerina performing a jeté.

Eric chuckled, "What was that about?" He asked when her back straightened.

Sookie shrugged, "Dunno, I just do that sometimes. I feel like I could almost fly away when I arch like that. Sometimes I'll even fling my arms out like a bird." She shook her head at the childish fantasy, "Sorry, that sounds so stupid."

Stepping behind her, Eric placed a hand on either side of her waist and before Sookie knew what was happening, she was off the ground. Sookie's hands went to her mouth to keep herself from shrieking in surprise.

"I will not drop you." Eric reassured her as he slowly took her higher and higher. "Put your arms out." He encouraged her, and timidly, Sookie did so- stretching her arms out slowly like a gliding bird. "You will not fall." He reassured again as he stopped going up and began flying her across the sky.

"Incredible!" Sookie laughed as fearful tears splashed back towards the corners of her eyes, making trail along her temple and into her hairline. She was scared, but so happy at the same time, "Faster?" The request came as a question.

"I will have to hold you tighter to go faster." Eric stopped in midair to pull her body into his chest before adjusting her and hugging her tightly to himself. "Ready?" His voice was chilling against her ear, but caused a flare of heat below. She nodded stiffly, and then they were zipping across the sky like a rocket.

Sookie could barely keep her eyes open because the wind was whipping past her so quickly. "This is so amazing..." She murmured, unsure if he could hear her over the wind, but the rumbling against her back assured her that he could- he was laughing.

All too soon, they were touching back to earth, and Sookie stumbled a bit as she settled back on her feet. "I've never flown before." She let out a giddy laugh, her body vibrating with adrenaline.

"You liked it?" Eric was smiling at her expression.

"It was wonderful!" She danced around the parking lot, arms swinging wildly. When she finished her dancing, she flung herself into Eric and hugged him tightly, "Thank you."

"You are very welcome. I am glad that you enjoyed yourself." Pulling away slightly, Eric cupped Sookie's chin in his hand, tilting her head back so that he could look at her, "Do you work tomorrow?"

"I don't know. Do I?" She countered teasingly.

"I suppose that you could." He grinned, "Would you be up for it so soon?"

"Yes. I need to stay busy. It's a lot easier when I'm not alone." She frowned, realizing that she would be alone almost all day tomorrow, "The last few days, all I could wait for was the sun to set so I wouldn't be alone."

"No one has stayed with you?" Eric was surprised.

"Tara and Lafayette popped in, but they both knew Gran, too, so it's hard for them. Plus I can read their thoughts, and they're worried about me. Jason's avoiding me, and..." Sookie blushed, "After the eulogy I gave, I don't think half the town would want to see me."

"Why is that?" Eric asked, curious.

"I kind of… I couldn't block anyone out at the funeral, and I got frustrated because I could hear all of them blaming me. So I yelled at everyone to shut the eff up." She blushed a bit more, but Eric laughed uproariously. "It's not funny." She pouted.

"Actually, it is extremely funny. Did you say "eff" or did you actually say the word "fuck"?" He asked with amusement lacing his voice. Sookie admitted to dropping the real profanity, "You do not curse often, so it is quite entertaining." He pointed out. "Though, I enjoy that you do not indulge in curse words often. It is most unbecoming a young lady. Especially in this day and age, when cursing openly is much less taboo."

She shrugged a bit before nudging him, "What else could we do?"

"Anything you like." He told her.

Sookie looked at her watch. It was going on ten. "Usually I'm either at work, or reading a book this time of night." She pointed out.

"What do you like to read?" Eric asked, taking her hand and strolling with her past his car and onto the sidewalk.

"Same as Gran- romance novels and mysteries." She giggled, blushing.

"Ah," Eric smiled at her blush, "what is the appeal?"

Sookie shrugged, "I don't know. I think I like mysteries 'cause my life was so boring." Eric gave her a disbelieving glance, "Yeah, I know, a telepath saying life is boring when there are serial killings and vampires entwined in her life. But my life wasn't always so riveting." She pointed out and Eric nodded in understanding, "And I like romance novels because my life has never been romantic. When you can read a guy's mind, you know that everything they do is another calculation on how to get you into bed." She sighed.

"I do not calculate or scheme for ways to bed you," Eric told her in a matter-of-fact tone, "I would just ask you to yield to me. I have very little doubt you would object."

"So ask me to _yield, _and see what happens." Sookie challenged.

Eric stopped suddenly and turned to face the telepath. She gulped at the smoldering ice of his blue eyes. Who knew that ice could burn so strongly? His arm coiled around her waist as his free hand cupped her chin, tilting her mouth up towards his own. Eric grazed his lips enticingly against hers, enough to make her strain against his hand, but not enough to _kiss her_.

"I already told you that I would not kiss you yet." Eric's lips moved softly, slowly, brushing against hers with his every word- taunting her with the fleeting contact. He did not need to feel her emotions to know that she would not be satisfied with only a kiss. It took more self-control than the Viking was willing to admit, not to crush his mouth to hers, and risk her connection to him severing at the exploitation in her time of weakness.

"_Please_..." Sookie whispered, straining harder against the hand at her chin, desperately seeking out his mouth.

"And how would you feel in the morning, Sookie? So raw, without your companion to greet you after a night of passion? When your life has had so much abandonment?" He tested her resolve.

"Then keep me up all night so that I'm not awake long enough to miss you." She dared.

Eric growled, crushing his mouth to hers. Truly, he wanted to wait a while longer and let her sorrow run its course, but by the _Gods_she knew just what to do and say to make him change up his plans. Sookie whimpered against his mouth as his tongue dove past her lips to tangle with hers. His hand left her chin to clutch a fistful of hair, holding her to him as his tongue explored her mouth, drinking in her gasps and whimpers. Inhaling deeply, he lost himself in the scent of her arousal- her essence surrounding him.

When he pulled away to let her breathe, his mouth latched onto her neck, scraping his elongated fangs delicately along her neck between careful kisses. "Eric, please..." Sookie moaned, circling her hips experimentally, and rubbing against the throbbing bulge in his pants.

Growling again, the arm about her waist loosened, and his hand trailed smoothly from her side to her breast, cupping it gently, feeling the heaviness of it, and memorizing the weight with his palm. Sookie choked on another whimper when he found her nipple through her bra and shirt, and pinched it with a touch of roughness. "Yes, please..." She hissed as Eric continued to roll her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, upping the pressure with each caress until it was bordering on painful, "OH, oh yes." She clutched his shoulders for some sense of balance, wondering if she could orgasm just from him playing with her breasts. It certainly was heading in that direction.

It was taking all 1000 years of Eric's culmination of control _not_to bend Sookie over the nearest flat surface and fuck her like a crazed demon, but the sounds she was making just from the feel of his fingers twisting and plucking her nipples through the material of her clothing was driving him utterly insane. He wondered about what a responsive lover Sookie would be, about how much heavier her arousal would flow if his fingertips were stroking her swollen clit rather than her hard nipples. Eric was certain that she would be folded on the sidewalk in pleasure if he managed to get his hand down her pants.

Gliding his palm smoothly down the length of her torso, Eric played with the button of her pants for a moment. He waited a beat for any rejection, before he deftly flicked it open so that his hand could move past the barrier. Sookie whimpered and circled her hips with want as Eric's hand rested beneath her pants, but over the thin material of her panties. "Eric, please." She mewled, tilting her pelvis to obtain a caress that she had been longing for.

Eric moaned at the heady sound of her pleading voice, and his fingers moved, stroking Sookie through the damp fabric of her undergarment. "AH!" She gasped as his middle finger pressed firmly against the sensitive nub between her folds.

Moaning at her inhalation of a whimper, Eric slipped his hand around the elastic of the final barrier and stroked her flesh with his own, reveling in the moisture that had accumulated. His finger glided easily against her gash before using the juices to circle and tease her clit. Sookie gasped, arching her back against the arm Eric had braced about her waist, tilting her pelvis against the contact. She closed her eyes and moaned low in her throat as his hand did magical things to her body.

"Yes!" She whimpered in a high voice as his finger left her clit to slip between her folds and be squeezed by the tight walls of her warm channel. Eric groaned at the sensation it brought, enjoying the texture and tightness of her virgin entrance. Pumping his finger slowly, Eric brought it back out to play with her clit again. Sookie's hands latched onto the vampire's shoulders as she trembled against his technique. She wanted desperately for her release, but did not want the moment to ever end as she felt her body rushing towards the finish line.

Slipping his finger back inside, Eric awkwardly positioned his thumb over her clit despite the restrictions her pants gave him. He wished she had worn a skirt, but he would not complain about the minor inconvenience, nor would he give up this moment for such an inconsequential advantage. A chastity belt could not keep him from pleasuring this beautiful creature!

The combination of Eric's finger inside her, and his thumb mercilessly teasing her clit was enough to send Sookie reeling into oblivion. Her hands tightened on Eric's shoulders as her clenching walls flexed and squeezed the invading digit. Eric smiled softly at her as she gasped for air and shook within his embrace. Carefully, he leaned over and kissed her throat gently as she calmed.

"I've never felt anything like that." Sookie panted, remembering every time she had ever touched herself and how insubstantial the experiences had been in comparison to what she had just felt. One of her hands left Eric's shoulder to hold his head to her throat, wondering idly if he would bite her now. However, he just kept kissing and sucking her skin, flicking his tongue against the tender pulse point.

"You have never pleasured yourself before?" Eric knew she was a virgin, especially since he had just had his fingers in the proverbial honeypot and gotten physical confirmation, but he refused to believe that Sookie made it to 25 without _ever_masturbating.

Sookie's pleasure flushed cheeks burned a little hotter, "Well, a girl has needs..." She mumbled, "But those never felt like _that_!" Sookie was in awe and it stroked Eric's ego well.

"Mmm, just think what I could make you feel if I did not have all of these clothes in the way." Eric purred in her ear, giving the tail of her shirt a cautionary lift, making Sookie moan.

"Don't tempt me, Northman." Sookie whimpered, closing her eyes as Eric nibbled her earlobe, her hands pushing her shirt back down before it could raise above her bellybutton, "I'm already going to hell for letting you do that to me in such a public place. I'm not about to get naked in the middle of a street."

Eric snorted, "Public place. Ha! A deserted street on an access road nowhere near a highway or high traffic area. Hardly public. This road is lucky if it sees three cars a month." Squeezing Sookie a bit tighter, Eric added, "Now, my throne at Fangtasia- _that_would be _quite public_." His nostrils flared at the sudden wave of increased arousal he smelled rolling off of her, "Mmm, Lover, did the thought of me pleasuring you while you sat on my lap in the middle of Fangtasia turn you on?" He asked, the hand he had down her pants tested her wetness again and found it even slicker than when he had made her climax, "Oh, yes... Very wet." He confirmed with a grin, extremely satisfied that Sookie apparently had an exhibitionist streak in her that he could nurture. He just needed to pleasure the puritanism out of her so that she would indulge in such public displays of affection. First, he would get her accustomed to merely sitting on his lap in the club, and eventually try and work up to more. Of course, he would never let another gaze upon her intimate flesh, but he would definitely find pleasure in the other vampires smelling the intoxicating aroma she emitted. After all, there were few pleasures greater than holding something you have over others. Then again, one of those few situations was in his arms right now.

But that would all have to wait.

Sookie whimpered as he stroked her again, her eyes shutting softly. "It is getting late for you, Little One." Eric murmured in her ear, his caress becoming lighter and lighter, to her dismay. "I should be getting you home."

"Are you going to stay at Bill's again so you can be at my house at first dark again?" She asked, her eyes snapping open and gazing at him, to Eric's surprise, with hope.

"Do you wish for my company so early tomorrow evening? I thought that you planned on coming to Fangtasia tomorrow night." He reminded her.

Sookie frowned a bit, "Well... Yeah... I guess that's silly." Truly, she just did not want to spend any time alone in that house just yet, and she wanted him with her as much as possible. "Of course... Since I'm coming to Fangtasia tomorrow night anyway, and we're already in Shreveport... It'd be silly to drive back tonight..."

"Sookie," Eric growled in a warning, knowing exactly where she was headed with that train of thought.

"Please, Eric?" She whispered into his chest. Eric sighed, and she thought that she was winning until he took his arm from around her waist, and slipped the other hand from her pants, refastening them. Sookie blushed when he licked his fingers clean with an expression of utter bliss, despite his frustration with her.

"I have already broken one promise I made to you, Sookie, as well as breached the borders of another, I will not tear down that one as well." Eric put his hand on the base of her spine and began leading her back towards his car.

"But-"

"Hush, now." Eric smiled, "There is plenty of time for all of that, if you are so willing, in a few days."

"A _**few **_**days**!?" Sookie whined, making Eric grin wider, "Why do you torment me so?" She pouted playfully, and Eric could not resist capturing that protruding lip with his teeth and nipping it gently before starting his car.

"I might be willing to negotiate depending on the state of your emotions." He smirked at her.

During the drive back to Bon Temps, Sookie sighed dramatically and leaned her head upon his shoulder, "Is this okay?" She asked tentatively as he continued to drive.

Eric snaked his right arm over her shoulders and palmed her breast through her shirt, "Perfectly fine." He smiled, giving her breast a firm squeeze. Sookie sighed happily as he kneaded the fleshy globe. When he pulled up to her house, Eric released her round flesh and cupped her chin instead, bringing her in for a kiss.

"Aren't you coming inside for a bit?" She asked.

"I have some business to attend to." He admitted regretfully.

"Oh, okay... I'll see you tomorrow night then?"

"Yes, your new car will be here for you tomorrow morning, and I will see you at Fangtasia in the evening." He agreed, getting out of the car to open her door and walk her to the porch. As they stood next to her front door, Eric smiled fondly at her. "I will see you tomorrow night." He leaned in to get one more kiss. After all, he had already broken his vow to keep his lips to himself; he may as well indulge while he could. By the time he had finished though, Sookie was clinging to him and panting for air, intent on not letting him leave any time soon. "Sookie," he began softly, "I must leave."

"No you mustn't." Sookie whimpered against his lips, still clinging to his neck to hold him near. Eric chuckled and unlaced her hands to escape from her clutches.

"Yes, Little One, I must." He said a bit more firmly, "But I will see you in less than 24 hours." He reassured her, "Get some rest. You begin your first shift at Fangtasia tomorrow night."

Sookie sighed and nodded, "Oh! What do I wear? Do I have to dress all Goth like the rest of the staff?"

"I dress Goth?" Eric laughed.

"You know what I mean. I mean, Pam even dresses in PVC." Sookie pointed out.

"Wear whatever you wish. You are not there as part of the entertainment and you are not a server."

"How am I going to let you guys know what's up? I don't want to draw too much attention to myself." She explained.

"I was thinking that you could sit on my lap on my throne." Eric purred, "And whisper the room's little secrets in my ear." Sookie felt a rush of fluid between her folds and it caused Eric's nostrils to widen, "I do believe you like that arrangement." He leaned forward to kiss her lips and give them a heated lick.

"I'll look like a whore." Sookie realized.

"Please do not use the word "whore", it is too rugged for someone so sweet. You will look like a Goddess." Eric assured her. "Everyone in that room will want to be you."

"Okay." Sookie replied breathlessly.

"I really liked that dress you wore your first night in my club." Eric stated nonchalantly, "If that is what you feel comfortable in, I consider myself quite pleased with your work clothes." Sookie nodded in understanding. "I am quite over all of the black and darkness of the club. You would light up the room." Cupping her chin, Eric stole, what he told himself was his final kiss from her lips that evening, "Until tomorrow night." He purred and turned towards his car.

Sookie leaned heavily against her door as she watched him leave. _Is it tomorrow night yet?_

**TBC**

**A/N: PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW, EVERYONE! I GAVE YOU A TEASER LEMON, NOW SHOW ME THE LOVE!**

**-ANDI**


	6. Chapter 6

**Trouble Maker**

_A/N: Good, actual, morning, everyone! A fair warning about this chapter: it refused to end. It is particularly long, so if you do not wish to start now and have to leave part way through, I would wait to get home from work/school before starting. Unless, that is, you are one of those insanely fast readers like my awesome beta- **Nerdygirl**. And as always, thanks to her for another well edited chapter!_

_-Andi_

**Chapter Six: Please, Don't Kill My Dumbass Brother, He Knows Not What He Does**

Sookie lay in bed for a while after she woke up. She had been thinking a lot over the last few nights, wondering if her job at Merlotte's would now warrant her time and energy; wondering if the town of Bon Temps would want her anymore after it was known that she was working at Fangtasia. If she was honest with herself, she would realize that her ancestral home was the only reason she did not openly contemplate quitting her job and moving to Shreveport.

"I'll think about it another day." Sookie sighed to herself and curled onto her side. She tried to go back to sleep so that she would be well rested for her first shift at Fangtasia.

When it became obvious that Sookie could not get any more sleep, she dragged herself out of bed and got dressed. After a cup of yogurt, the woman glanced out the window of the kitchen as she threw away the little cup, finding a shiny, silver Acura looking back at her from the driveway. Gaping through the window, Sookie finally shook away her shock and ran out the backdoor.

_Arlene's gonna choke when she sees me driving this..._Sookie bit her lip as she opened the car door and sat in the driver's seat. The keys were in the visor flap, and she held them for a moment, contemplating. She hoped Arlene did not ask where she got the new car. If the red headed barmaid found out it was a perk for Sookie's new job, Arlene would start begging the telepath to set up an interview for her.

Taking a deep breath, Sookie turned the key in the ignition and listened with a new pleasure as the car came to life. It ran a _lot_quieter than her old Nova, not to mention, it did not groan as she idled in the driveway. Sookie groaned, however. Her driveway was a mess! She hoped that she did not hurt her new car driving on the uneven gravel!

Sookie laughed at herself getting protective over a car. She had plowed around in her little Nova, not giving a damn if she had four flat tires and was riding on the rims. Now, with her Acura, she was worried about the gravel shooting up and scratching the paint. For a moment, Sookie pondered if she was worried about the car because it was new, or if she was worried about damaging it because _Eric_had gotten it for her.

_Another thing to think about tomorrow..._Sookie sighed.

The woman decided that she really wanted to take her new car for a test drive, so she left the vehicle idling as she went inside to grab her purse. It would probably be better to let her co-workers at Merlotte's see the vehicle on a day that Sookie could escape, rather than work with them staring at her the whole time with suspicions cramming up all of their available thoughts.

As Sookie drove along the country roads, she felt a giddy satisfaction over the smooth ride. Even with all of the loose gravel paths, and dirt roads, Sookie's new car gave her a smooth, quiet journey. It did not groan in protest, or begin shuddering while idling at a stop. It was almost a sad moment when the woman arrived at Merlotte's and had to get out of her car.

"Hey, Cher!" Sam grinned when he saw Sookie, "How you doin'?"

"Okay, I guess." Sookie smiled softly, "Just thought I'd come in for lunch." She shrugged.

"Kinda late for lunch." Arlene came around with a tray, having heard Sookie's proclamation.

"Yeah, well, I start my new job tonight, and the hours are really late." Sookie sat down at the bar. The place was dead at the moment.

"Oh..." Sam looked uneasy, "I was actually gonna ask if you could work tonight."

Sookie frowned, "Well, if you let me work in this- I could work until a little after dark. Just let me leave a voicemail for Eric so he knows I will be coming in later than we discussed. I have to be outta that door by _9 o'clock_ though, Sam." She said firmly.

"Done! Thanks, Cher." Sam gave her a quick hug. "I promise, I'll have some new girls on soon. Already got two comin' in for their first shifts tomorrow!"

"That was fast." Sookie was surprised.

"You know how the girls at the Quickie Mart are always trying to get out of that dump." Sam shrugged.

Sookie just nodded and got busy setting up her station after retrieving a spare apron from the kitchen. When Lafayette came in for his night shift in the kitchen, he whistled at Sookie, "Damn, Hookuh, look at'chew!" He pouted out his lips, "That Bill expecting a li'l somethin' somethin' tonigh'?" He wriggled his shoulders suggestively.

"Er, no..." Sookie blanched, not having realized that the town had yet to catch on to her not being with Bill anymore, "We broke up. He was a darn liar, and I want nothin' to do with him." Sookie huffed and turned back to her tables.

"I told ya, she'd come to her senses." Arlene hissed to René and Sam, both who were hanging around the bar.

"I'm glad our lil' Sookie got 'er 'ead togetha." René nodded approvingly, with his lilting cajun accent that sent pleasant goosebumps down Arlene's arms.

"I wonder what he lied about?" Arlene's eyes were unblinking as she watched Sookie with peaked interest, "She also got a second job. Sounds like she's not focusing on boyfriends right now."

A few hours passed at the bar without any calamities before Sookie called out, "Sam," from across the bar, "I gotta call work." She reminded him.

"All right, Cher." Sam turned to Arlene, "Cover her for a second?" He had the sense of mind to make it sound like a request rather than an order. Knowing Arlene as long as he had, Sam was well aware that the scarlet haired woman did not handle commands well.

Arlene rolled her eyes and went off to cover refills as Sookie quickly called Fangtasia.

"Fangtasia- speak quickly or I will find and drain you." Pam's voice came over the phone, extremely bored as usual.

"That wasn't a very creative greeting." Sookie laughed.

"I am not in a creative mood. Now what do you want? Master said that you would be here this evening for your first shift, and yet, you are not here."

"I'll be in around ten. I left a voicemail on Eric's phone," Sookie explained, "Sam needed me to work tonight- I'm getting off here at 9."

"Very well. I will let Eric know. His phone has been delaying voicemail notifications." She grunted with annoyance, "He'll need a new phone service. The one he has is incompetent. A Sheriff must always be able to be reached. I do know that he was rather hoping you would be here by now." Pam's voice did not even need to have that suggestive huskiness to alert Sookie that Eric wanted her in his lap _now_.

"I'll be there, I promise." Sookie said breathlessly, shuddering at the thought of being perched on Eric's lap. Grinding down on that- _Focus, Sookie!_

The next fifteen minutes were uneventful, until the bar started getting really packed, and Sookie could hear what all they had on their minds with the way she was dressed tonight. The telepath shuddered as every single brain in the room just knew that Vampire Bill was getting some tonight.

And that was when the evening decided to stop settling for "uneventful".

Sookie jumped when she heard the distinct sound of vampires moving quickly. The sensation of air being displaced as a body moved so quickly that every once and a while, a miniature sonic boom seemed to go off and send shivers through her body. Turning, expecting to see Bill, Sookie gawked at the three vampires standing in the doorway of Merlotte's. Diane, Liam, and Malcolm strolled in, leering and appraising the inhabitants of the bar like consumers perusing a menu.

"My, my, if it isn't our little Sookie..." Malcolm sauntered towards the waitress, "Still holding out on Bill, I see." He pointed to her unblemished neck.

"We could take care of that, Sweet thing." Diane said as she and Liam joined Malcolm in making a semi-circle around the blonde telepath.

"Y'all need to leave." Sam boomed from the bar, coming around and stomping towards the trio.

Malcolm paid him no attention, "I barely even smell Bill on you anymore. You two have a falling out? Are you still _his_?"

Sookie ground her teeth together, but lifted her chin defiantly at the group of vampires.

"That's a "no"." Diane cackled, draping her smooth, dark arm over Liam's bulky shoulder as if he were her personal crutch.

"Did ya not hear me? I thought vamps were s'pose to have good hearin'!" Sam hollered, "I said that y'all need to leave now!"

"Quiet, Mutt." Liam snapped, "We were just looking for a snack."

"Yes, bring us three True Bloods." Malcolm flourished his hand dramatically while he laughed, having no intention of actually drinking the swill.

"This here's my bar, and I only serve locals."

"Ah, well, we are locals. We just closed on a place up the street." Sam did not look impressed, "You're denying service to us? Discrimination against vampires is a punishable offense in the state of Louisiana." Malcolm pointed out.

"Then grab yourselves a lawyer and sue me, but I ain't serving you." Sam snapped.

"No, Sam." Sookie soothed, "You just heat up some blood. I'll serve them." Sookie smiled toothily.

Sam's shoulders stiffened, but he went behind the bar, and Sookie listened as he banged around behind the counter. He slammed both available doors, the cooler and the microwave, making the telepath wonder how the doors did not just fly off across the main floor with the force of his tantrum.

Sidestepping the vampires, Sookie went to retrieve the drinks while the trio sat in a booth in her section. When she went to the bar, Sookie picked up a bottle of Tabasco sauce and proceeded to dump the contents of it evenly between the three bottles of True Blood. Shaking them up, Sookie took them to the vampires.

"Y'know, the Sheriff won't be too happy when I tell him you came in here harassing me." Sookie said nonchalantly as she put down the True Bloods in front of the three vampires.

"What the fuck do you think we care about some stupid sheriff?" Liam snarled.

"Not _that_Sheriff." Sookie said pointedly, "Does Eric know you're not playing nice with the humans?"

"Northman's not our-" Diane cut herself off and said, "Fuck."

"You moved into Bon Temps- you moved into Eric's district. Did you even confirm that you were changing areas? 'Cause I'm pretty sure Eric would have let me know." Sookie continued.

Uncomfortable with the situations they now found themselves in, Liam unconsciously took a sip of the True Blood in front of him, promptly spitting it out with a snarl, right in Diane's face. The vampiress shrieked, the irritation of the hot sauce only momentary, but enough to flare her anger with the waitress into complete loathing.

Pissed off and feeling humiliated; Diane took Sookie by the throat. The whole bar lurched in many directions- most towards the door, but a select few moved towards Sookie.

Remnants of hot sauce laced synthetic blood dripping from Diane's face, made the vampiress appear even more threatening with her fangs bared, "You fucking bitch!"

"Rule one of dining out- don't harass your waitress. She'll get even." Sookie grinned painfully, and grimaced when Diane tightened her hold, "I'll warn you again," she ground out, defiance and pride outweighing the woman's survival instincts, "Eric'll flip if he finds out about this."

"And why would the Sheriff care about you? Why would he believe you about us being here?" Diane snarled.

"Diane." If a vampire's blood could freeze, Diane's would have been solid when she heard her name uttered by the Viking that loomed in the doorway of Merlotte's. "Sookie is right; I never authorized the three of you into my Area. You said you were passing through to visit an acquaintance when you came to Fangtasia." The humans in the bar shrunk back into their booths as they stared at the giant before them, "Release her, Underling." Diane dropped Sookie who cleared her throat to adjust the discomfort. "You will leave, and if I catch any of you nosing around Sookie, I will dismember you with my bare hands." He growled threateningly. The three rose swiftly, "I expect you out of my Area before the week is out." When the three were gone, Eric turned to Sookie, "You just cannot stay out of trouble, can you?" He smiled at her with amused fondness.

"How did you know to come?" Sookie whispered.

Eric tilted his head as he brushed a stray hair from her face, "I did not know to come, but I could not wait until 10 to see you." He grinned, tracing his hand down her jaw to cup her chin, "Also, we have a little problem at the club that you need to be made aware of."

Sookie did not look away from Eric as she said, "Sam?"

"Yeah, Cher, get going." Sam sighed.

Sookie ran off, oblivious to the stares of the bar patrons. She counted out her tips, cashed out, grabbed her purse, clocked out and came dashing back up front to Eric.

"I thought you said she was done with vampires." René frowned at Sam disapprovingly.

"She's done with Bill." Sam wiped down the counters, "But she works for Eric."

"That's her second job?" Arlene was horrified, "She's... She's..."

"You could say she runs human resources for the vampire bar. Eric needed someone to keep track of the human staff, and he likes Sookie for the job." Sam rolled his eyes, "She's not doing anything wrong, Arlene." He frowned at the red head, ashamed of where her assumptions had leaded her.

Sookie turned to Eric as they got to her car, "Did you fly here?"

"Yes." Eric nodded, "Hand me your keys. I will drive us back." He held out his hand expectantly, and Sookie decided not to argue. He would be able to drive a lot faster than her anyway.

Eric was pleased when she handed over the keys without resistance. When they were on the road, he began to explain the situation at the club. "Pam caught a young man entering our club, trying to acquire V."

Sookie was shocked, "There was actually someone coming to the club for it? That doesn't make any sense. Why would you sell V in a vampire club? Everyone there would know what you were up to!"

"True, usually we get drainers coming to the club, not dealers." He explained.

"This guy must be a real idiot." Eric smirked, "I mean, was he really stupid enough to think he could buy the stuff there? Or did he think y'all would sell him your blood?" Sookie paused, "Wait, if you already caught the guy- why are you telling me? Why didn't you just take care of it?"

"It is your brother." Eric said smoothly.

"Jason? He came to my work place trying to score V?" Sookie deflated, feeling utterly ashamed.

"Yes, and I want to know who his previous dealer was." Eric rumbled, and Sookie could tell he was reigning in his want to savage Jason. Her brother had certainly done a good job of getting on Eric's bad side.

"I'll see what I can find out. What are you going to do with him?" Sookie asked, pushing aside her guilt and unease over having to pry through her own brother's mind. She tried so hard not to invade the privacy of her friends and family, and now Jason was forcing her to break that rule.

"Pam is going to glamour him into thinking he had a very bad trip, and hopefully that will keep him off of V." Eric replied.

"So you're not going to kill him?" Sookie asked hopefully.

"No, but we will not tolerate his continued use of our blood. If he is caught again..." He left it off at that as a warning.

"I might just kill him for you if he keeps that bull crap up." Sookie grunted, making Eric laugh. "That explains why he was so... Odd at Gran's funeral. I thought it was just grief, but now... He was probably going through withdrawal." She realized. "I'm really sorry, Eric. I am so ashamed right now."

"You have nothing to be ashamed about." Eric sighed, patting her thigh comfortingly, "What your brother does is not a reflection on you." He promised. "If he has taken blood in the last few days though, I am only happy that he did not break your jaw when he slapped you. Vampire blood can make others uncommonly strong."

Sookie rubbed her cheek absentmindedly when Eric mentioned the slap, "Yeah, that would have sucked." She also remembered how hard he had shoved her after Gran's funeral. Lafayette had seemed like the only one Jason would listen to when the cook and Tara had told the oldest Stackhouse to leave.

"I would have given you my blood to heal it." Eric assured her, "Since that is already my intention."

"When are we doing that, anyway?" Sookie asked.

"Whenever you wish. However, if we do a mutual feeding, there are some things you should know."

"Such as?"

"A mutual feeding is extremely arousing for both parties. Whether you wish to acknowledge it or not, both of us are likely to climax from the experience." He glanced at her with that sultry smirk of his that caused a spontaneous flood in her panties.

"I don't think I'll have any trouble acknowledging it." Sookie mumbled, making Eric laugh. "What else?"

"What all do you know about Vampire blood?" He asked.

"Only what you and Bill told me. You'll be able to track me easier, I'll get keener senses, dream about you, you'll be able to feel my emotions to some extent and know when I need help. Also, three exchanges could bind me to you." She rattled off.

"You will also be stronger, healthier, and your skin will be flawless. Since your hair is so fair, it may also lighten a bit. My blood is old and strong, so these effects might be more noticeable because of that." He explained.

"Ha, that actually sounds really nice. Oh, we both left out the libido thing." She giggled.

Eric chuckled, "I thought that went without saying."

Sookie flushed a little, and Eric did not miss the slight tensing of her thighs as she squeezed them together. He groaned, remembering the clenching heat against his fingers, and the soft noises she made as he pleasured her the previous night.

When they arrived at Fangtasia, Sookie followed Eric into his office where Jason was sitting in one of the chairs while Pam loomed over him threateningly.

"You are dismissed, Pam." Eric commanded, and the younger vampire left without a word. "Mr. Stackhouse, you have caused me great pains since I met you. If I had not wanted to rip you limb from limb before, I certainly wish to now." He growled. "I suggest you answer all of my questions truthfully, otherwise, I will be forced to ask your sister to _extract_the information from your tiny brain."

"Sookie wouldn't-"

"Sookie is under my employment, and if she does not wish to breach her contract, she _will_do as I say." Sookie glanced at Eric with an unsettling sensation in her gut. It hurt her feelings to hear Eric talk like he controlled her life like that! "Now, Mr. Stackhouse, who was your V dealer before you came sniffing around the source?" Eric demanded.

Sookie immediately saw Lafayette's face in Jason's head even as he tried to drown out the answer with an onslaught of other thoughts. Her brother's experience growing up with a telepath for a sister had made him rather adept at spamming her with several images, but his state of withdrawal was making the young man mentally clumsy.

"I ain't sayin' nothin'." Jason was fidgeting and sweating worse than Sookie had ever seen.

Eric sighed, "You are an imbecile." He glanced at Sookie, and she nodded sadly, "Did your dealer tell you where he gets his supply from?"

Jason relaxed when he did not have to give any names, "All he said was that he had an arrangement going... I think he said something about the vampire being 'new'." He admitted.

"How long have you been consuming our blood, Stackhouse?" Eric growled.

"I dunno, a few days... First time was the day I found Dawn dead." He mumbled.

"Five days ago." Sookie added, remembering well. Jason turned to glare at her, but remembered that Sookie had been there, and actually been the first to find the body.

"You are lucky that you did not break your sister's jaw when you struck her." Eric snarled, making Jason flinch from the memory, "Our blood is not for recreational purposes, Stackhouse. There are repercussions to consuming vampire blood that you cannot even fathom."

"Listen, I didn't get it for... I just wanted..." Jason glanced back at his sister, his face going red, and his thoughts making Sookie blush, too.

"Wanted what?" Eric snapped.

"Dawn, the girl you had sex with, she said some stuff that challenged Jason's eh... Ego." Sookie flushed and Jason glared at her harder.

Eric roared with laughter, "You addicted yourself to vampire blood for sexual prowess?"

Jason glowered, "Well if y'all kept your dead dicks-"

"JASON!" Sookie gasped, horrified.

Eric snapped his fangs, lunging at Jason and holding him by his shirt, "Whom I fuck and what I do with them is none of your concern, Stackhouse. Human women should be grateful that our "dead dicks", as you so quaintly put it, are used to satisfy them so completely. Since, it seems, human men are so inadequately equipped." Jason glared up at Eric with disgust, "Does he have any other useful information?"

"No." Sookie whispered.

"Pam." Eric's Child was in the office immediately, "Take care of him." He picked Jason up by the back of his shirt and lobbed him at Pam.

The vampiress nodded curtly and dragged Jason out of the room.

"Who was his dealer?" Eric asked.

"A friend of mine. He works at Merlotte's with me." Sookie said quietly. "And... There's a drainer in the club. A woman." Sookie whispered.

Eric groaned, "The dealer's name."

"What will you do to him?" Sookie asked skittishly.

"I will detain him, we will question him, and then, depending on the situation, I will decide his punishment." Eric replied smoothly.

Sookie sighed, "Lafayette Reynolds." She admitted.

"Thank you, Sookie." Eric nodded at her approvingly, "However, the next time I ask you for information, you will give it to me without question or hesitation." He told her firmly, and Sookie nodded solemnly. Several times, she had to remind herself how sweet Eric could be, but another part of her wondered if it was worth this sort of treatment during working hours, "Now, shall we go out onto the floor and track down your drainer?" He held out his arm for her, and Sookie laced hers with his, letting Eric escort her out of the office and onto the floor. His hand squeezed hers firmly as they walked together, and Sookie felt her breath catch. That had been her first lesson.

Sookie tried desperately to block out the thoughts of the Fangbangers as she was lead onto the dais, and pulled unceremoniously onto Eric's lap once he was seated upon his throne. Leaning back into him, Sookie murmured into his ear, "The tiny brunette girl on the floor... She's dancing with a male vampire." She did her best not to point, but Eric could see where her eyes were locked.

They kept their eyes on the floor for another moment before Eric murmured just above a whisper, "Long Shadow." The bartender was at his side in a flash, hunched over the back of Eric's throne, "There is a drainer dancing with Marcus. Take care of her." Long Shadow nodded and was gone. Sookie watched Long Shadow approach the pair on the floor, and the young woman flinched when another vampire was standing before her.

Watching carefully, Sookie heard the woman's thoughts change as Long Shadow glamoured her, and took her from the floor. "I'm so glad I can't be glamoured." Sookie shivered at the possibilities, quickly ignoring the drainer's mind as it was being rearranged. The weirdest sensation tingled down her spine in that moment, and a strange cacophony of thoughts had swirled in her head. It was almost nauseating, the way the words and images tumbled and melded. So confusing-

Eric chuckled, breaking her reflections, while tracing his finger up the length of Sookie's spine, "I am rather glad for it, too." He admitted, and Sookie had to remember what she had said before her introspection on the drainer's thoughts.

Sookie shuddered as Eric's cool finger ran up her back, "It's been an eventful evening." She said breathlessly, "I don't know how I'll deal with everything tomorrow."

"How do you mean?" He asked distractedly, his attentions focused on Sookie's tan, exposed shoulder. The way the strap of her dress cut across that dark flesh in a brilliant shade of blue was absolutely captivating to him.

"Well, the incident at Merlotte's... That's gonna be a handful with the locals." She sighed, "Jason's not going to want to talk to me-"

"Pam is erasing his memory of the evening and replacing it with a bad trip." Eric assured her, "He will not remember you even being here tonight."

"And then... I'm worried about Lafayette. And... This morning I was thinking about moving to Shreveport..."

"Really?" Eric latched on to that last statement, sounding delighted.

"Well, with how much you'll be paying me, I don't really need to work at Merlotte's." She explained, "I just could never sell Gran's home." She sighed. "But it's too big for one person to be living there by themselves."

"You could always rent it out." Eric supplied, "As I understand, the only places available for rent are Merlotte's apartments in that area. I am sure that a family would like a larger place, especially if they have children." He pointed out.

"That just seems weird, having strangers living in a place I grew up." Sookie shuddered, "'Course, Tara needs a place away from her mother. Maybe I could ask her if she'd like to live there. Then, I would always have a place to go if I decided I wanted to spend time in Bon Temps." She shrugged noncommittally, "I dunno. I have time to think about it. I'd really like to get the place all fixed up and restored beforehand."

"Yes, Little One, you have plenty of time to get it figured out." Eric agreed, though he wished she was in Shreveport, making her that much closer to him.

"Y'know, I was thinking about this earlier today, and I just told myself to forget it and think about it tomorrow." Sookie was speaking more to herself, "It's kinda nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of- keeps me from procrastinating." She giggled.

Eric laughed, "You can bounce anything you like on me." He wriggled his eyebrows at her suggestively, making her blush and giggle again.

"Still, leaving my home town and moving to Shreveport... That's a big step..." Sookie sighed, "I'd need a better reason than a _job_for making that move." She told him.

"I see," Eric was contemplative for a moment. "What _would_it take for you to make the move?" He asked carefully.

Sookie shrugged, "I don't know." She replied honestly.

"Mmm, you would be closer to me," he nuzzled her ear, "which would certainly be a perk for me if you moved."

Sookie bit her lip, making Eric groan- he loved the sweet, innocent look on her face when that lush bottom lip was captured between her teeth. "You could protect me better, too, right? If I were closer?" She asked breathlessly.

"Oh, yes. I could be by your side in seconds." He cupped her chin, making her heart race. Every vampire in the bar had their attention diverted when they heard the heart rate of the most delicious smelling human they had ever encountered accelerate. The scent of her blush, the enticing sound of her heart racing, and the warmth that radiated from her sun kissed skin had every vampire lingering around them. The Fangbangers, on the other hand, were glaring at Sookie- wishing the daggers they were staring could kill.

"Would you," Sookie cut herself off, her eyes darting to the side, suddenly self-conscious.

"What is it?" Eric frowned.

"Nothing." Sookie mumbled, and Eric stared at her curiously.

"You suddenly changed on me, Little One. What is wrong?" He asked.

Sookie shrugged lethargically, "Nothing work related. I'll tell ya later." She sighed, "Can I go grab something to drink?"

"I will have the bartender bring you something. What would you like?" Eric placed his hand on her hip, keeping her from rising from his lap.

"No, I'll get it." Sookie tried to unlatch his hand, but he held tight, "Please, Eric? Just let me go?" She asked quietly.

Frowning even harder now, Eric released her hip and watched Sookie step from the dais and onto the floor. She sulked over to the bar, and he watched as she ordered a gin and tonic. Every Fangbanger in the bar seemed to take this as a cue that Eric was up for "grabs" and started bowing and trying to approach him. A feral growl from his lips made them cower back where they belonged.

Standing from his throne, Eric went to the bar, placing his hand on Sookie's lower back, "Talk to me, Little One." He murmured in her ear.

"Later." Sookie sipped her drink, her eyes distant before she squeezed them shut tightly.

"I will return in a moment." Eric sighed and was gone.

Sookie stayed at the bar, sipping her drink. When it was gone, Eric's hand was resting at the small of her back again, "Allow me to take you out of here." He said quietly, nudging her towards the door. When they were in Sookie's car, her in the passenger's seat, him behind the wheel, he asked again, "Talk to me?"

"You've had sex with a lot of the Fangbangers in that club." Sookie said flatly.

"This upsets you?" He asked.

Sookie shrugged, "Not so much that... I mean, you have your needs just like anyone else."

"Then why are you so distant?"

"I want to have sex with you."

"Is that so?" Eric grinned at her, but it faded when he saw her expression. "Are you unhappy that you want me?"

"N-no." Sookie shook her head, "But..." She sucked in a breath, "How am I suppose to compare with them?" She chanced a glance at him. "I don't know what to do with that type of stuff. Not really. I've seen _thoughts_about the topic, but some of them are just that, thoughts. Actually, I think some of those thoughts are physically impossible..." Sookie shook her head as she got back to the point, "I'm scared about not being any good." She admitted.

"I will be a very enthusiastic guide." He assured her, his grin returning, "And do not worry about comparing to the sniveling vermin- they could not hold a candle to what you have already given me."

"Because my telepathy." Sookie mumbled.

"Sookie," Eric took her hand, "please stop looking at your gift as the only appealing ability or trait that you have. You are beautiful, funny, polite, and a real lady."

"I don't know if _you_know this, Eric, but a _lady_does not sit in a man's lap like I sat in yours tonight. Not when they are in public or in the presence of complete strangers." Sookie informed him.

Eric ran his thumb over the back of her hand as he held it, "Perhaps that is true, but the way you conducted yourself while in my arms, I did not find the least bit lewd or unladylike. I do not find it unsavory to see a woman sit upon the lap of a man she is enamored with, so long as the man is receptive to the gesture. I find it quite... Warming."

"Warming?"

Eric shrugged, "Yes, I think that is an appropriate sentiment. A man offering of his own comfort to accommodate that of his mate's. Sometimes it is a sign of protection. Nothing can sneak up on the woman when she has her back to her protector's chest, her entire body guarded by his line of vision. I find the arrangement very comforting to witness. Of course there are circumstances when I find it utterly appalling to watch. Such as when the attentions are unwanted by one of the pair, or when the woman is behaving like a gutter snipe."

"Gutter snipe." Sookie laughed. "I haven't heard that one in a long time." She was quiet a moment before she finally said, "But going back to where we started..." Eric looked at her momentarily, "You're okay with letting me learn what I'm doing before judging my... Umm... Abilities?"

"Sookie, if last night was any indication, I am more than confidant that even at the beginning, your abilities will be utterly marvelous." Eric assured her.

"I didn't even do anything for you." She tensed.

"Oh, yes, you did." Eric purred at her, "The sounds that came from your lips, the way that you felt in my arms- you were born to be a sultry goddess." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, "You will be superb."

"You're putting me on a very high pedestal." Sookie pouted.

"_I_do not think so." Eric shrugged.

Considering his words carefully, Sookie gazed out into the tree line pensively, "I'm just worried that I won't be very good."

"Do not worry about such things." Eric chuckled, "Just let everything go and enjoy yourself. As long as you are doing that- it is all that matters."

"What if-"

"Sookie," Eric looked at her for a brief moment, knowing how it unsettled her for him to stare at her while he drove, "being in your company pleases me as it is. Why do you doubt that I would not enjoy you even more in the throes of passion?"

Exhaling a long sigh, Sookie shrugged, "I don't know. It's just that… from what I've heard over the years in people's heads, there are things that are and are not enjoyable. I've heard complaints of what a boyfriend wished his girlfriend would do, or what a girlfriend wished her boyfriend wouldn't do..."

"Learning your lover's body is acquired over time, and I plan on enjoying that time with you." Eric took her hand and brought it to his cool lips to plant a gentle kiss on it, yet again. Sookie realized that it was a gesture of reassurance, and given how many times he had performed the action, Sookie began thinking about how insecure she was being, "I can be a rather enthusiastic teacher." He leered at her seductively, making Sookie blush. "Another thing to remember is that the issues of wanting things and not wanting others are a matter of communication, not ability. If these boyfriends and girlfriends would say to their lovers that they enjoyed one thing and not another, then they would have nothing to complain about, yes?"

"Well, yeah..."

"There is nothing that we should be concerned about then, is there? Because I will tell you what I enjoy, and you will do the same, correct?" Eric cajoled.

"I guess..."

"You do not need to be embarrassed about anything you would like to discuss with me, Sookie- sex least of all. There is nothing that you could like that I would not enjoy doing for you." He reassured.

"Okay..." Sookie took a deep breath, "Can we just start off reeeaaally slow tonight?"

"As slowly as you like. Remember, you can tell me to stop anything at any time if it makes you nervous or uncomfortable. If you do not like something, all that you must do is tell me so. We do not even have to have sex tonight. We could watch a film, and you could tell me about your day. We could discuss the supernatural world, or your little town. You could tell me about your life."

"That's really sweet of you." Sookie giggled, "But there's something about myself that I have to know."

"What is that?"

"I just need to know if I _can_have sex." She admitted sheepishly.

"Why would you think that you could not?"

"I'll tell you some other time." Sookie mumbled.

Eric found her concern a curious one, but chose to ignore it for the time being. It was best not to push her at the moment since she was already so doubtful in her abilities. He hoped to build up her self-esteem in these areas quickly, and already planned to shower her with praise because he knew that she would be magnificent. He knew from the previous night that she would be a responsive lover and from the moans- a vocal one. This alone pleased him.

Sookie gasped when they pulled up to a two story house from a long driveway. The exterior was white siding, the large full windows flanked by deep crimson shutters. A gabled roof capped the house and the front porch- a swing would have looked perfectly at home hanging just alongside the window. There was an attached garage linked to the edge of the house, and Eric engaged the door opener before pulling in.

Admiring the simple landscaping of the front yard- the walkways trimmed with hyacinth and modest greenery. The grass was a perfect green carpet, freshly trimmed in a diagonal cut pattern, alternating between dark and light depending on the direction of the blade's rotation.

Eric opened Sookie's door for her, and took her hand before leading her into the house. The door from the garage lead into a rather large kitchen, which surprised Sookie, since vampires had no use for a cooking area, other than a microwave and refrigerator.

"This is gorgeous." Sookie sighed appreciatively, looking around the kitchen and setting her purse on the countertop.

"It is suitable for my needs." Eric nodded, "This is my secondary home. I am only here when it benefits me. It is much larger than I need, but, if I am hosting guests, I need the extra rooms. My primary home is a single story creole cottage." He explained.

"Why did you bring me here, then?" Sookie asked curiously.

"My primary home has only one bedroom, which is the one I am at rest in during the daylight hours." He told her, "It is in a secluded location, where this one is in a gated community. Therefore, my resting place here is much more sectionally secured. My primary location has a lockdown that encompasses the entire house, where as this one only has that level of security in my resting place."

"What do you mean by "lockdown"?" Sookie asked.

"Just before sunrise, lightproof shutters cover every window in the house. The security system engages and cannot be deactivated until sunset."

"So, I wouldn't be able to get out of that house if you took me there, and I stayed past sunrise." She realized.

"That is correct." Eric nodded.

"So, did you bring me here hoping I'd be staying all night?" Sookie asked, trying to sound accusatory, but unable to keep a little upturn off of her lips.

"I decided to be prepared for the possibility." He winked.

"Last night you told me you wanted me to wait a few days before we had sex." She pointed out.

"I did. I also said that I would not kiss you, but you see how well I can keep my hands off of you." Eric smirked at her, showing a little fang. "Normally, I do not break promises."

"You've kept the promises I've needed you to keep." Sookie smiled, "Besides, the kissing and sex promises were just silly. I didn't want you to keep _those_." She admitted.

Eric chuckled at her declaration. "Come, Sookie, are you hungry?" He went towards the fridge, "I had Bobby stop by the grocer's in town today to pick up some foods that would keep for a while should you choose to come home with me. I took the liberty of perusing your kitchen over the last few days to see what you kept on hand. I hope I picked a few things you like at least."

Surprised at his thoughtfulness, Sookie glanced in the fridge that he had opened and glanced inside. There was a jug of sweet tea, a couple containers of blueberry yogurt, a half dozen carton of eggs, a small tub of butter, and colby jack cheese cubes. Sookie giggled at the sparse selection, and Eric opened a cabinet that had soda crackers, a small loaf of bread, a box of cereal; which she thought was funny because he had not bought any milk, and a few cans of soup, peach slices, and cherry toaster pastries.

"Thank you, Eric. That was very nice of you." She stood on her tiptoes to kiss the curve of his jaw. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Eric just smiled down at Sookie. He could not understand her a lot of the time, but he was beginning to. The way that she would complement him and the affectionate consolations she would bestow when he did something she deemed "considerate" for her.

Though he detested being treated like a human man- desperately seeking attention, and the whole- unsure of his actions until someone gave him a pat on the back and said "good job"- Eric _did_appreciate Sookie's little mannerisms. He knew she was not trying to complement as a reassurance, but because it was in her nature to be kind and show her appreciation. Sookie was not one to expect anything from anyone, including: complements, kind words, or chivalrous gestures. So, to have Eric showering her with attention like this, noticing such little details, and going to such lengths- though they were simple for him- to provide her with simple comforts was a big deal to her.

"This is perfect." Sookie grabbed the toaster pastries, opened them to take a packet out, and eat it cold. Eric chuckled and watched her eat over the wrapper since she did not think he would have plates. Opening an overhanging cabinet, Eric took a small plate out, and placed it in front of the woman. Sookie blushed slightly at her assumption and placed her other pastry on the plate before beginning to eat over that. Eric took the wrapper and threw it in the trash. "Sorry... I didn't think-"

"It is all right, Sookie. You would not think me to have such things. In fact, I only own dishes out of habit." Eric smiled.

"Habit?"

"Before the Great Reveal, it was common practice to furnish our homes with items and appliances we would find useless. It was all part of the illusion that we were alive and needed such things. You will be comforted to know that my bathroom has toilet paper also." He laughed.

Sookie giggled, too, as she finished up her snack. "So, now what?"

"That is up to you. We can do anything you like. Watch television or a movie, play a game of cards, we could go back out, I could ravish you senseless." He winked at the last one, making Sookie giggle nervously.

"What kind of movies do you have?" She asked, placing her plate in the sink.

"A large variety. I purchase many films as they are released just for the sake of something to do when I am bored." He took her hand and lead her towards the den.

"You get bored?" Sookie asked with surprise.

"Often." Eric chuckled. "Immortality has its down time."

Sookie let Eric lead her to the movie cabinet, and she was surprised that there were not as many action films as she assumed a Viking would own. They were there, but not a dominantly featured genre.

"Oooh, you have House on Haunted Hill!" Sookie grinned. "I love this movie." She snatched the DVD off of the shelf and showed it to him.

"Ah, Vincent Price. Yes, that is a good film." He nodded, taking the case from her and heading over to the DVD player. Once it was set up, he took Sookie to the couch and turned on the TV, waiting to see where Sookie would perch herself. He was pleased when she sat close to him, though he wanted her closer. After hitting 'play', Eric opened his arm and encouraged Sookie to curl up alongside him. Sookie did not need to be offered twice.

As the movie began, Sookie enjoyed the feel of Eric's body against her side. She was surprised when Eric's fingers started to twirl and play with her hair. Reaching up, the woman laced her fingers with his, smiling as his index finger started gliding playfully against her palm.

Unable to hold it in any longer, the young blonde giggled under her breath.

"What is so entertaining?" Eric asked, turning his eyes from the screen to smile down at her.

"I just never thought I'd be sitting in a huge house, watching old movies with a Viking cuddling me." She giggled at him.

Eric smirked, "Yes, it is nice to have moments of quiet like this. I am pleased that you find them entertaining as well."

"It's hard to have quiet moments with other people. You'd be surprised what goes through people's heads when they're watching movies. It's even worse if they've seen one you haven't, or if they're really good at figuring out the ending." She huffed a bit, "It's hard to enjoy a movie that way."

"Do you spend a lot of time alone?" Eric asked.

"Not really. The more time I spend away from people, the harder it is to pull my shields back up later. Like depressurizing and then getting sunk into the bottom of the ocean again... I read this article about a group of divers who were in a decompression tank and one of the valves blew. All of the divers were sucked through this hole no bigger than a baseball. When I'm away from people for too long, that's how my head feels. Like my brain's being sucked out through my ears or something..."

"That is a rather grisly comparison from you." Eric was surprised that Sookie would read such an article, let alone apply it to her own life.

Sookie shrugged, "My life's never been all sunbeams and roses. I try to be optimistic and enjoy life, but sometimes you have to face reality and accept that even if every cloud has a silver lining- it's still a cloud blocking the sunlight."

"Yes, I suppose that is true." Eric nodded.

"Eric," Sookie held her breath for a second before asking something that had nagged her the past few days, "didn't Bill come over from his place the other night? Something about where he was standing made me think... I mean, I know he was at the bar, but it seemed like he came to us from his house."

"He did. Why?"

"Well..." She looked at him nervously, "The other night... When you drove me home after our meeting, we weren't even out of the car, and you knew something was wrong. Did you hear something?"

Eric frowned a bit, uncertain how to say it gently, "I could smell blood. A lot of blood."

"Wouldn't Bill have been able to smell it, too? I mean, you're both vampires." Sookie reasoned.

"I am far older than Compton, and my senses all the more acute because of that. I cannot recall how well I could pick up the smell of blood from such a distance when I was his age, but given the... volume... that was exposed, I cannot fathom how he did not notice it."

"So, even though he had an alibi, isn't it a little fishy that he passed my home to get to his, and didn't notice?" She pressed.

"It is suspicious to say the least. Given the motives behind his return to Bon Temps, I cannot rule out any of his movements and the forces guiding them. It is possible that he smelled blood, but opted not to investigate, or that he had just not been breathing for whatever reason, so he did not smell it at all. When vampires fought the Fae, it was not uncommon for us to cease breathing so as not to be overcome by their blood. It is uncomfortable to go for long periods of time without breathing because we rely a great deal on our sense of smell for our survival. The only time you will see a vampire not breathing for long periods of time is when we are dead for the day." Eric paused a bit, "However, even holding our breath will not always keep us from scenting blood. Given proximity and volume, we can taste it despite holding our breath."

"Creepy." Sookie shivered, making Eric smirk.

"There is something else on your mind." Eric noted.

"Yeah... Can you guys glamour people into killing each other?"

"Yes."

"So, if, say, Bill was at the bar with the locals, couldn't he have glamoured one of them to go to my house and kill Gran?"

Eric sighed; really wishing Sookie would stop this line of questioning. He knew better than to risk lying to her, but she was making it difficult to omit the truth, "It is possible. Some vampires are more gifted in the art of glamour than others, Compton is quite adept at it. However, even for a vampire, it is difficult to influence a human into doing something they would not normally do. We can make humans forget things, or replace memories, even do silly things, but something that genuinely went against their morals would be-"

"But we have a serial killer in our town." Sookie responded darkly, "And killing a woman who embraced vampires wouldn't go against _his_morals."

_Damn it_, Eric thought. He was already investigating that angle, but without further evidence, he could not make accusations. If the vampire did not quell her urgency on the matter, she would begin shooting her mouth off, and put her life in further danger. Not just from the serial killer, but Compton as well.

"Are you saying that you suspect William Compton of knowing the identity of your town's serial killer, and that he intentionally glamoured that individual to kill your grandmother?" Eric asked. "What benefit would that give him? What would the source behind it be?"

"I don't know, but you're a tactician. How would that angle have benefitted you?" Sookie replied.

_**Damn it!**___"From my position, it would have not benefitted me at all. You were already my employee, already under contract, and if my instincts are accurate- and they always are- already quite interested in me sexually. I had nothing to gain from such an action. In fact, I have probably lost quite a bit because of it. You are unhappy, emotionally disrupted, and your life has been thrown into upheaval. If your grandmother were still alive, you would probably be more comfortable with the thought of moving into Shreveport because there would still be a relative maintaining your childhood home... I have gained nothing."

"What could Bill have gained?"

Eric sighed and thought through this, "Perhaps nothing."

"You're not telling me something." Sookie accused.

"You have not known me long enough to know me that well, Little One." Eric chuckled.

"I'm a collector of "there's something I'm not saying" looks, and you're wearing one right now." She poked him, and Eric could not remember the last time someone had poked and chided him like that.

"You had rescinded Bill's invitation. Perhaps he did this as a way to get you to let him back into your home. Or to make you feel unprotected or vulnerable." He let out a light sigh. She had cornered him, and omissions had been revoked, "Stripping someone of their securities is an easy way to worm their way into someone's trust. You feel vulnerable, and I say I will protect you. You feel sad, and I say you can cry on my shoulder."

"But _you_did all those things, not Bill." Sookie pointed out.

"I was already sworn to protect you, Sookie. When we signed those contracts. You had already told me that you felt safe with me. I reiterate- I had nothing to gain from this."

"Then why did you do all those things for me?" She felt so lost now, so uncertain.

"Because you needed them and they were things I could easily and freely give to you. There is much I could give you, Sookie, if you let me."

"Why?"

"Because you deserve those things." He replied simply.

"What makes me so deserving?" Sookie sighed, looking away from Eric and staring at the TV that they had been ignoring for a while now.

"It is nothing that I could explain." Eric looked at the screen as well, though he was not paying attention to it. "However, I know that when I look at you, I want to give you everything."

**TBC**

_**A/N: I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED CHAPTER SIX! PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW! YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT IS WHAT KEEPS ME UP WRITING UNTIL 2 A.M DESPITE KNOWING MY DOG WILL WAKE ME UP AT 5:30 LIKE CLOCKWORK! BUT HEY, I WRITE BETTER AFTER MIDNIGHT!**_

_**-ANDI**_


	7. Chapter 7

Trouble Maker

_A/N: Welcome, Readers, to chapter seven of Trouble Maker. So, chalk it up to impatience, but I really wanted to post. Therefor, we are crazy early tonight!_

_As always, special thanks to **Nerdygirl****,** my favorite beta in the whole wide world! _

_Also, I have never done this, but seeing as we are finally scratching the surface of this fic, as well as have several readers who followed me over from Keep Me, along with giving me both insightful and inspiring reviews; I would like to extend special thanks to: **Chipndalegal, duckbutt, Lost in space33, redjane 12, VAlady, murgatroid-98, pinkygirl01, Perfecta999, Lientjuhh, aprilshower021, Justice's Auntie, My Universe, Ericsfae, Posonive, Katy At All, Lissa P, Vamplover669, TMNinja Ginga, erin1705, nordiclover, pk22477, saldred 75, and Gyllene**. Keep in mind, these are obviously not _all _of my awesome fans! They are, however, my most faithful reviewers, or reviewers who have inadvertently helped me through my writing. Lists of more awesome readers next week. Maybe you will see your name then! Now on with the show!_

_-Andi_

_P.S: I kind of felt like Miss Nancy from Romper Room just now... "And I can see Ally is having a nice day today, and Bobby had a great time on Saturday. Mandy had a great day last Wednesday, and Joey will have a great day tomorrow!"_

_-Andi_

**Chapter Seven: All of Me**

Sookie stared into Eric's eyes, hoping to glean the slightest hint of ulterior motive in their swirling blue depths, but she found no fraud in his gaze. Relaxing a bit, Sookie leaned back against the couch and deeper into her companion's side. "This has been a really... I don't even know how to describe this week." She said tiredly, "It's been horrible and wonderful, and scary and relieving. I feel like my life's been on a rollercoaster this whole time."

"I wish that you did not feel so out of sorts." Eric squeezed her against his side gently in a comforting half-hug.

"Sometimes I just want to turn my brain off and be able to let everything off my shoulders for a bit." She admitted, "Do you think I should quit Merlotte's? Working two jobs doesn't really seem like a good way to let go of some of the stress."

"You could, however, that is a big decision to make so close to a tragedy." Eric told her, "Also, you said that staying busy helps distract you from your pain; if you were only working at Fangtasia that would be a lot of time off."

"True... Guess I just need to go with it for a while and think about what I want to do."

"That sounds like an excellent idea." Eric agreed.

"I thought you'd jump at the idea of me quitting Merlotte's and moving to Shreveport." Sookie teased.

"Under normal circumstances, I would, however, I do not want you regretting your decisions. If after a few weeks, you realize that the extra income is unnecessary and the work too straining, then I would suggest that you quit the bar." He shrugged, "And if after a little while, you find that living in Bon Temps is no longer appealing, and the decrease in commute more beneficial, I will be the first one to help you find a suitable home here in Shreveport."

"Thank you." Sookie sighed, "Eric?"

"Yes?"

"I don't know how to ask this without sounding naïve..."

"What?"

"The way you spoke about me earlier tonight? When you were questioning my brother? Is that how this is going to work? You're just going to talk like I'm not in the room, or like I'm your property?" She clenched her fists tightly.

"You seem to be jumping around on topics tonight, Little One." Eric sighed. "Are you just looking for something to be upset about?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"Yes, that is how our business arrangement is going to work." He said evenly, "I will tell you to do something, and you will do it. That is what I am paying you for. If Merlotte tells you to serve a table, you do it, correct?"

"Well, yeah-"

"And when Merlotte is having a business meeting, or dealing with customers, he does not drag you into the arrangements, correct?"

"Well, no, but-"

"So what did I do this evening that you would not expect of an employer?" Eric looked down at her, and she was amazed to see that despite his blatant observations, neither his tone, nor his face showed a hint of patronizing her.

"I guess; I've just never heard someone say it so plainly. I mean, the boundaries and etiquette were always _implied_, but I've never heard Sam actually say that me, or any of the other girls, are _his_waitresses and that we'll do what he says." Sookie sunk back against the couch like a deflated balloon. "And... I guess... I mean after last night-"

"I thought that you would be more resistant to receiving special treatment. I did not want you to feel like "the boss's woman". So I treated you as an employee." Eric explained.

"Do you have any other employee's sit in your lap?" Sookie leered.

Eric chuckled, "I do not. However, it will be known that you are mine soon enough, and your position as my lover will distract the humans from the secondary reason you are sitting there. They will never guess that you are sifting through their minds, uncovering useful information."

"What's the primary reason, if telling you what's going on is the secondary one?"

"Allowing me the pleasure of feeling that luscious ass of yours pressed against me." Eric rumbled deep in his chest, that panty soaking grin of his quirking his lips.

"Mr. Northman!" Sookie gasped in mock disbelief, "I don't believe that's the way you should talk to a lady like me!"

"But you are _my_lady." Eric growled teasingly, leaning into her on the couch to capture her lips in a heated kiss. "And I convey that comment as a compliment, and not as a demeaning remark." He assured, nibbling her bottom lip gently.

"Mmm, you didn't have to reassure me with words that time." She grinned, stretching her lip tightly between his teeth.

"That is good to hear, Lover. I am possessive by nature, and I had hoped that you would take such comments happily rather than be offended." He kissed along her jaw when he heard a deep, contemplative sigh from her. "What is it, Lover?"

"I know this sounds contradictory, but hear me out, okay?" Sookie started to sit up, and Eric sat back on his own side of the couch to allow the movement.

"All right."

"I like the idea of being yours. I _want_to be claimed." She scratched at her cuticles nervously. "I know that you've seen the strong, independent side of me, but... All of my life I've heard what people think about me. Jason wishing people didn't know I was his sister. Gran wishing no one knew about my disability. Mom and Dad wishing I was _normal_. As much as my family loved me, none of them wanted all of me. It's _nice_to be wanted through and through and not just for this and that. Jason loves me because I'm his sister, but he hated me tonight despite that. He didn't look at the fact that he'd gotten his butt in trouble again, and little sis had to save him."

"I see." Eric sighed, "Then, know this, Lover, I want all of you. I want your telepathy, I want your fire, I want to understand your experiences- the good and bad- I want your _body,_your emotions, everything. Even when we are arguing or when you are irritated with me, I still want that irritation and ire because it is you. There is nothing you could do to make me not want you."

"But _why?_" She dropped her head to his shoulder, "You just met me four days ago, and you're saying all this stuff I've wanted to hear my entire life. It makes me nervous 'cause I feel like it could be torn apart at any second, or that you will finally realize I'm _not_all these things you think that I am."

Cupping her cheeks in his hands, Eric stared Sookie steadily in the eyes, "You have the potential of being anything and everything, Sookie. You may need some prodding, and time, but never doubt that your potential is limitless. Also, realize that I am here for _you_. Even when I do or say things or tell you to do things, your best interest is always on the forefront of my motives."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I may ask difficult things of you. I may tell you not to speak, or I may instruct you to delve deeper into someone's mind than you feel comfortable going. I may ask you to put your pride on the back burner and just _trust_me to know what needs to be done." Eric explained.

"What if it's not a pride thing? What if it's a moral thing? I mean, what if you have to kill someone? I could never condone that-"

"And if they were there to kill you? Or myself? Where would your morals stand? What if they were going to harm Pam? Or any of my other underlings? What about your brother?" Eric pressed.

Sookie stayed silent as she processed this.

"I do not kill without reason, Sookie. I may kill for little reason, but not for the mere joy of killing."

Disregarding his use of the word 'mere', which implied that he actually _did_enjoy killing, though on what level, she was uncertain; Sookie asked instead, "What would little reasons be?"

"Stealing from me. I can easily reestablish my wealth, but the act of stealing from me is not tolerated. I would appear weak if I allowed another to take from me and not express the repercussions hastily. I will not be made to look weak."

"What if I made you look weak." Sookie fidgeted.

"I do not foresee how you would accomplish this, unless you plan on disrespecting me intentionally."

"What if it's unintentionally? I mean, what if I snap at you without thinking?"

"I would expect you to recognize your error and submit to me instantly."

"Submit?"

"Yes, there are small penalties my subordinates receive if they openly disrespect me. If they were to do so, and recognize their error, it is common for them to lower their eyes and head and take a step back. If this is a routine with them, and the docility is not enough to hinder the action, I have been known to strike them. Pam has been spanked in front of my subordinates before."

"You'd _spank me?_" Sookie gawked.

"It is very unlikely." Eric chuckled, "I do not anticipate you doing that. Something would have to seriously upset you for you to fight me, I think. You are also very private, and I believe you would be more likely to discuss disagreements in private than with an audience." Sookie had to agree with that last part. The telepath knew that she was stubborn as well as opinionated, but she definitely did not enjoy causing a scene. "Of course you were rather flamboyant with your actions against Malcolm's nest." Eric began thoughtfully, "And let us not forget some of your tactlessness the first night that we met."

Sookie scoffed, "Well, most of that stuff with Bill was because he never told me anything useful _before_it came up." She rolled her eyes, "And as for Malcolm's gang; they were being jerks. First thing Diane did the second she met me was try and glamour me. Next time I run into her, she's running her fingers down the side of my neck. I'm just supposed to stand there and take that crap?" Sookie demanded.

"No, you are not, because if any were to touch or glamour you, they would be claiming a slight against me." Eric told her. "Of course, I have little intention of letting you anywhere near vampires without myself; so therefore, it will never be an issue. However, if you were to do anything so blatantly disrespectful to me, it would bring my claim over you into question, and you would not be safe."

Sookie thought about that a moment, "It may take some time at first, but I know that I don't want to fight with you. There may be some times when I react on a gut instinct, but..."

"And a simple submissive act is all that I require from you if others were to witness it. Soon, you will learn to hold those reactions in until a more suitable time and place to address them." Eric nodded. "Remember, this is a presence we display in _public_. You are free to argue your points with me privately, however, in the presence of others- my word is _law_."

"Okay." Sookie relaxed into the couch slowly.

"These terms are agreeable then?" He asked tentatively.

"Well..." Sookie took a deep breath, "In a way, it sounds like you're _training_me."

"I am, and I told you that I would do so." Eric replied simply, "Not as one trains a pet, of course, but how one trains a subordinate or employee." He assured. "I am not happy to tell you that these circumstances will not be limited to your employment at Fangtasia if you choose to become mine. This will become a public lifestyle in the presence of other vampires."

"So, if Pam-"

"Pam is my Child, and therefore it would be unlikely for me to keep such a rigid formality around her. You have seen that Pam and I are rather informal around each other. We do not stand on much pomp and circumstance."

"I guess that's true. Other than her calling you Master." Eric smirked at that.

"And the instructions will not be a constant either. I will not abuse the position." He promised.

Sookie smiled slightly at his words. Thinking about it, his demands were not unreasonable. After all, he had stated a clear fact that any employer would make similar demands- vampires just had a more intense expectation of employees that disrespected their boss. It was not like Eric was going to publicly flog her... Unless she intentionally did something absolutely horrible...

"You were right. I really am all over the place tonight." Sookie sighed, leaning deeply into the sofa. "I don't get it at all."

"It has been a trying week for you, and a lot of the things that are troubling you are very serious topics with no simple way of viewing or understanding them." Eric soothed back her hair gently, "There is a lot of emotional aspects to these topics, and staying on any one particular conversation is just confusing you due to an inability to focus or direct your distress. Do not worry about needing to redirect the conversation when you are emotionally exhausted over it."

Sookie gave him a weak smile, "Y'know, it really has been an exhausting week when I think about it. About everything that's happened. It almost seems unreal. Like, I could wake up from a dream at any second and it will all disappear. My Gran will be making me breakfast, and there won't've been any murders. Maybe even vampires won't exist when I wake up, but that last part makes me ache. At first I thought the lack of vampires upset me because it meant I'd have to go back to being the only "oddity", but, no. It's you." She let another tired grin tug at her lips, "I'd rather stay asleep and dream your existence than ever wake again."

Leaning in swiftly, Eric captured her lips in a kiss. Sookie shut her eyes slowly, letting the vampire lean her back onto the couch until he blanketed her entirely with his large frame, "I believe that is the most beautiful thing someone has ever told me." Eric whispered against her lips before pressing his own against hers even harder.

Their kisses intensified, Sookie's arms tangling around his neck, her fingers twirling golden strands of his hair. Eric's hand held her side while the other cupped her face softly. When they had to part for Sookie to take a full breath again, Eric went to her throat, lavishing the sensitive flesh with his lips, teeth, and tongue. The arching her body did against his own was enough to drive the vampire mad, his body responding to hers with great fervor.

"Sookie," Eric hissed when her hips arched just right and pressed intimately against his bulging denim, "may I touch you as I did last night?"

"Mmhmm." Sookie purred, pulling his face to hers once again for more kisses.

Eric slowly began sliding his hand down the length of her side, finding the hem of her dress before creeping beneath it and ghosting his fingertips along the outside of her thigh. Sookie giggled into the Viking's mouth and he pulled back with a smile, "A little ticklish, are we?" He teased, gently dragging his nails across the skin his fingertips had just passed over. Sookie bit her lips and let out a little moan as he did this, making Eric dive back into her lips as his hand continued its journey towards the Promise Land. "Your skin is so smooth and soft." Eric moaned against her lips, "So _warm_." Sookie whimpered as his hand came to her panties, fingering the elastic tauntingly, "Do you want me to touch you, Sookie?"

"Yes!" She gasped excitedly.

"Where, Lover?" He gave the elastic a little snap, earning a moan.

"Mmm," she arched her hips slightly, "my pussy." Though her words were passionate, her expression was shy at uttering the word her brain deemed "naughty".

Eric purred at her fiery voice, "Do you want me to use my fingers, or my mouth?" He asked, giving her throat another playful lick.

"Both!" She mewed, making Eric chuckle.

"You look so beautiful, Lover, but may I remove your dress?" Eric asked as he swept his fingertips tauntingly over her hidden sex.

Sookie arched her spine so Eric could reach the zipper on the back of her dress. In a moment, Eric was sliding the gown off of her body, and Sookie lay upon the couch in nothing more than her underthings.

"Beautiful." Eric sighed, kissing from her throat, down her body. Sookie rocked against her vampire as he kissed the tops of her breasts, tugging the cups out of the way so that he could envelope her hardened nipples with his lips. The woman whimpered, arching her back to undo her bra. Eric smirked as he watched her fling it across the room.

With her bra out of the way, Eric began plucking the nipple of one breast with his hand while his mouth entertained the other. Sookie shivered beneath him as he did so, panting for breath and causing her breasts to thrust up to his face as if begging for his attentions.

When her breasts had been given thorough care, Eric began kissing down her body, nibbling here, letting his cool tongue trace there. As he came to the border of her panties, Eric slid them down without hesitation, and Sookie allowed it with a whimper of encouragement.

Completely naked now, Sookie blushed. She moaned as Eric breathed her in deeply. "You smell divine, Lover." He told her huskily before kissing the top of her mound and taking another deep inhalation. Slowly, he drew her thighs apart, kneading the inside of one and nibbling the other, causing tiny, pleasurable flinches in those supple limbs. His tongue traced a line from his love bite, up towards her center.

"OH!" Sookie cried as his mouth enveloped her sex. "GO-D!"

As Eric's tongue alternated between plunging into her hot channel and circling her clit, Sookie made gasping, little shrieks of pleasure. He enjoyed watching her hands turn to claws and flex and fist. Enjoyed the way her hips tilted and twisted in pleasure. Most of all, however, he became enthralled by the thrashing of her head and the way it sent her golden hair cascading like rays of sunlight.

Suckling on her nub, Eric used his long fingers to occupy her dripping entrance. First one finger, then another, then the two of them snaking within her until they settled on that wondrous spot within that made Sookie choke with pleasure. All too soon, Sookie came with her first orgasm of the evening, but Eric was too entranced with her wild nature to stop at just one. It was not until he sent her over the edge twice more that she reached down to catch his wrist and pantingly, begged him to stop.

"I ca-can't breathe!" She gasped for air, but though she had stopped his wrist, she did not make him withdraw his hand entirely. Eric kissed the hand that had halted him before gently rocking his fingers and coaxing her into a relaxed state. "Can... Can we go to your room?" She asked breathlessly.

"As you wish, Lover." Eric withdrew his fingers at last and lifted the naked woman into his arms, carrying her to his bedroom.

Sookie did not know what to expect of Eric's "lair", but when the door of his bedroom opened, she had not anticipated the beauty or warmth that surrounded her. The walls were a heavy cream color with a slightly deeper tone dry brushed over to give the walls more dimension as well as a more aged appearance. The finish on the wood accents were walnut, giving them a strong, richer appearance and the hardware finishings were gold to brighten and warm the dark stain. Sookie paid little to no attention to the finer décor of the room, for her eyes were focused on the bed once they spotted it. Given its sheer size, it was not unreasonable that her eyes went straight to it.

The bed was custom made, because Sookie _knew_mattresses did NOT come in that size normally. Which meant all of the bedding had to have been custom as well. A rich, dusty red comforter with cream sheets dressed the bed. As they drew closer, Sookie could see the embroidery on the comforter, done in deeper red tones and a few designs in golden thread.

Eric settled his lover on the bed, moaning at the way the coloring of his bedding seemed to embrace the tan flesh of Sookie's skin. They complimented each other well and, for some strange reason, only strengthened Eric's belief that Sookie was _meant_to be with him.

"Lay back, Sookie." Eric whispered heatedly as he took her feet in his hands and began turning her to lay the correct way on the bed. Sookie took a deep breath as she lay back, doing her best to relax and keep her head in the moment.

_Nothing to worry about, nothing to fear._She took another calming breath as Eric slid his hand up from her foot, grazing her ankle, tickling the inside of her knee, and gently kneading the inner part of her thigh. Sookie felt her legs part instinctively as his hand drew closer to her center, and this made Eric smile. Dipping down, he placed a kiss on her lips as his fingers rubbed gently over her womanhood. She was still incredibly wet from his attention back in the den, and Eric brought his coated fingers to his lips to lick clean. This action made Sookie pant once more, and moan as he pulled away. The sound of disappointment was halted quickly as Eric reached for the tail of his shirt and began pulling it off.

Sookie found herself rolling to her side and soon kneeling in front of him when the shirt blocked his vision as it came over his head. When he looked down at her again, he was pleasantly surprised to see her hands reaching out to touch his body hungrily. She petted and caressed his chiseled body, licking her lips as she leaned closer to lick and kiss the hard lines of his muscles.

When his hands went to the belt and button of his pants, Sookie kissed the border they created at his hips, as if trying to encourage the gate to open and grant her access to the new land that lay beyond.

With a chuckle, Eric quickly undid his pants and grinned as Sookie took the waistline into her own hands to shove his trousers down to his knees, rather unceremoniously. He could tell by her eyes that the size of him had the girl both startled and more than a little doubtful. Her eyes were big and her lips sealed seamlessly as she looked at his cock.

Eric said nothing, but began to lean over her instead, pressing his body to hers while his lips coaxed warm, sweet kisses from her. Eric kicked his pants off the remainder of the way, and quickly toed his socks off as their bodies molded together tightly, rocking and undulating, hands caressing and memorizing the other's body.

Reaching between their bodies, Eric grasped his cock and pulled back enough to trace the head against Sookie's wet slit. He felt her tense for a mere moment before she began to rock against it.

"Sookie, do you want me to put my cock inside of you?" Eric asked, stating plainly what his intentions were. His voice was that gruff timbre that Sookie could deny very little to.

"YES! Please! I want you inside of me!" Sookie nodded enthusiastically.

Eric smiled a bit wider as he brought himself in close to her and slowly began to slide into Sookie's liquid warmth. He felt her breaths deepen and steady as she acclimated to his size, and Eric rocked back and forth with only a small fraction of his length within her. His right hand slipped between their bodies, playing with the sensitive area just above where they were joined. Sookie writhed pleasurably while he rubbed the bundle of nerve endings into a frenzy until she bucked wildly, rupturing her maidenhead, heedless to any discomfort whatsoever.

Bringing his hand to his mouth, Eric elongated his fangs and pricked a finger on the sharp point to draw blood. Sookie watched him curiously as he withdrew from her body, replacing his cock with his bleeding finger, whimpering at the loss.

"What are-" Sookie quieted when she felt Eric begin sliding his member back home inside of her. "Ohhhhh!" She whimpered as he went back to his shallow and steadily deepening strokes until she could actually feel the front of his thighs smacking the back of her own, and the pleasurable sensation of his pelvis grinding into her clit. "Eric... Eric, yes... Eric!" She cried deliriously as his pace increased, and a free hand went between where their bodies met to flick and tease her clit until she was wild with passion again.

Once more, Eric got to revel in the utter insanity of her pleasure overloaded body. The way it twitched and contorted; the way her hands tried desperately to find their purpose as they alternated between pressing into her face, scratching his torso, clawing the bedding and, his favorite, squeezing her breasts.

When Sookie went careening over the edge of oblivion, Eric choked on his own cry of pleasure, completely taken off guard by the intense way her internal muscles gripped and massaged his cock during her orgasm. It quickly brought Eric flying over the precipice with her, and he let out a shout he had not had forcibly torn from his lips in several centuries.

As the pair recovered from their first time enjoying each other, Eric showered every inch of Sookie's body with kisses. Everywhere his lips could find received his adoring caress. "Remarkable, lovely Sookie." He kissed her shoulder, her breast, her throat, "Unbelievable. A Goddess." Her chin now and her cheek.

Sookie giggled at his actions, "You're pretty unbelievable yourself."

"No, I am entirely serious. A new deity has been born; the incarnate of sex and beauty." He suckled her throat hungrily, "I want you again, so badly." He gnashed his blunt teeth against her neck now.

"Eric," Sookie panted huskily, "bite me?"

His fangs clicked into place and burrowed deep into her flesh at the request. He could not control the utter fervor that he drank her in. There was a brief moment that he managed to bring his lips from the wound, and it was to tear a second wound into his own wrist, offering it to his lover. Sookie enveloped the bleeding incision with her lips and drank deeply as Eric descended upon her throat once again.

Every draw of his blood seemed to cause a mini-orgasm that thrummed throughout her entire body, and she could feel Eric's cock harden inside her once more as his hips rocked erratically against her own. Finally, the vampire managed to make himself stop nursing the injury, and began licking it closed instead as he pulled his wrist from Sookie's own lips, much to her disappointment.

Taking her hips into his hands, Eric brought her fiercely into a collision with his own hips, fucking her so hard that it was nearly knocking the breath from her. At one point, the woman reached for his wrists to calm him, and began to roll hers in sync with his thrusts. The results were overwhelmingly wonderful, and the pair shouted out in bliss as their orgasms rippled through their bodies.

Collapsing side by side, Eric and Sookie stroked each other's skin as they gazed at one another wondrously.

"I do believe that you are quite capable of having sex, Lover." Eric murmured as he pushed a stray tendril of hair back behind her ear. His comment caused Sookie to squirm closer to his body, and with her blood freshly in his system and his within her, he could feel the need for comfort coursing through her. "Lover," he placed his arm around her, drawing her closer to him, pulling her tighter against himself, "will you tell me why that was ever a question for you?"

"I..." He could feel her fear and shame. The hesitation was enough for him to recognize the most likely origin of Sookie's doubts, and the emotions that surrounded them. Having torn through Sookie's hymen, Eric knew that she had not been raped, but there were still plenty of other things that could be done to a woman to cause them intimacy and sexual problems.

"Is he still alive?" Eric asked.

Sookie looked up in surprise before tearing up slightly, "Yes."

"Would you like for me to kill him for you?" Eric asked.

Sookie sobbed so hard that it hurt her chest. "N-no." But he could feel a tinge of darkness in her, a part of her that wished that he would destroy the monster that had scarred her for so long. Though Eric admired her resolve, he could not let this monster continue to exist; for he would rule a part of Sookie's life as long as he did.

Of course, it would be easier if Sookie had given him a name or clue, but Eric had a suspicion it had either been family, or a family friend, and, also, a lead to finding out the culprit. He may not be telepathic, but Eric was great at deduction and with his ability to glamour, would get the truth regardless, and be sure that the appropriate person was held accountable.

For his Sookie.

**TBC**

**A/N: REMEMBER TO REVIEW, EVERYONE! **

**-ANDI**


	8. Chapter 8

Trouble Maker

_A/N: Good evening, Readers! I am ready to call it a night any minute. I hope everybody had a good Labor Day! Special thanks, as always, to my beta __**Nerdygirl**__! You rock, lady! This week, I would also like to extend thanks to some loyal readers: __**tigerlilyxoxo, red high heels, LBF, Always Mazzy, 13mRe3s3, spygrrl, and DPrincess**__! Those are the names I had selected up until my dog chew through my notebook, at least. I will have to rewrite my list._

_Finally, and I do not usually do this, I apologize to those this does not apply to, but I want to make a point to a reader. As I stated from the beginning, constructed criticism is completely welcome, but if you are going to stoop to getting on a soap box and ranting about feminism and Sookie sounding like a dog, then don't read my story. Also, definitely stay away from __Keep Me__. I am not writing to be politically correct, or to change the world, but perhaps you should consider that some people need to "BECOME", and that they're just not "ARE" yet. Also, if you are going to get on that soapbox, grow a set and sign in to do it. Anonymous flaming is pathetic. Even youtube commenters have more balls than you. PM me if you got a problem. Just don't expect to enjoy what you read in response. XOXO_

_-Andi_

**Chapter Eight: Dear Abbey**

Sookie awoke the next afternoon feeling better than she had felt in a long time. Not just before her gran died, but even before that. Not saying that she would trade her grans life for this feeling, or that the woman's passing was not still a void in Sookie's heart, but the feeling she had now felt like a very old wound had finally begun to heal; a wound that, for decades, had only managed to scab over, remaining tender and vulnerable, always threatening to become infected. Now that emotional injury was finally healing fully. Whether there would be a scar or not was still to be seen, but Sookie would take that scar and wear it with honor as a survivor.

Looking to the body beside her in the massive bed she lay in, Sookie smiled at her healer. Eric was lying on his stomach, and if it were not for the lack of movement for breathing, she would have thought he were human and merely asleep. There was no telling if it was the fact that he was not human or just the fact that he was him that made Eric so wonderful. Could anyone without centuries of experience, have been able to figure out what had been done to her without her saying a word? Could anyone with a link to her emotions been able to figure out what all of those emotions meant?

As she thought about this, Sookie realized that, even before the link he had created by exchanging their blood, Eric had already figured out quite a lot about her. Even if he gave all the credit to the new blood link, she knew better. Eric had spent this short amount of time learning about her. She only hoped that she was learning as much about the Viking by being so acutely aware of him as well.

With a sigh, Sookie finally got off of the bed. As she did this, a not so pleasant feeling appeared as she felt the familiar sensation of fluids dripping down her leg. Reaching down and expecting blood, Sookie was surprised, and maybe a little embarrassed to find the fluid to be thick and white, though it was tinged a bit pink from her hymen tearing. The age old physics statement of "what goes up must come back down" suddenly took on a much grosser meaning.

With this development Sookie quickly headed towards the master bathroom. It was huge. Simple as that. The walls were white tiling with a teal trim and the floor matched the trim in more tile. The shower looked like a religious experience. She counted 19 shower heads in it, and there was a touchscreen computer monitor outside of it. Curiously, she went over and started playing with the monitor. Eventually, she got it figured out and all of the shower heads began spraying together.

Grabbing a towel and bringing it over, Sookie tentatively stepped into the spray. Once her body was centered... _Heaven_.

Sookie was unaware how long she was in that shower, mainly because she had no idea what time she had woken up, but she was under the spray long enough for Eric to awaken and join her.

"I see you found one of my favorite toys." He chuckled, nuzzling her ear.

"I am never leaving this shower." She moaned, enjoying the feel of Eric's roaming hands on top of the shower's own magic.

Eric laughed again, reaching up to squeeze her breasts, "Mmm, you have the nicest pair of breasts, Lover." He sucked her throat hard.

"Uuhhh!" Sookie moaned as Eric continued to lavish her with attention. One of his hands slid down from her chest, gliding along her soft belly to her womanhood, which had begun throbbing persistently when he had first begun teasing her. "Eric..." She sighed as he slowly stroked between her nether lips and tortured her little nub.

She could feel his hard cock pressing against her bottom, and wanting to tease just as well as he could tease her, she began to shimmy against him, rocking her backside against his sensitive member.

"Mmm, Sookie, you learn so quickly." He crooned happily, heatedly, in her ear.

Twisting slowly, Sookie turned in Eric's arms, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck. Eric leaned down to make this easier for her, then straightened up and coiled her legs around his hips. Sookie giggled from her new height, her face level with his for one of those rare times. He kissed her sweetly as one of his hands slid down to position his cock against her welcoming slit.

Sookie gasped as she felt herself slide down slightly and Eric's member slip into her. Soon, her lover was holding her by the hips, bouncing her up and down on his shaft as she groaned and gasped with pleasure and surprise.

When their shower session reached its climax, Eric settled Sookie back onto her own, wobbly feet before helping her wash herself anew. "Mmm, a wonderful way to start the evening." He purred as he turned off the shower and began toweling off. Sookie giggled shyly and bit her lip as she watched him go over to the counter and plug in a hairdryer.

Sookie had never found men with long hair particularly attractive until she saw Eric. Most men she had seen with Eric's length of hair or longer did not take care of it at all, allowing their tresses to be tangled, matted, or just hang in an unattractive disarray. However, watching the vampire blow-dry his hair just made her want to giggle because it was the one action he could not pull off and continue to exude the "badass" image.

As his hair lightened as it dried she saw him look to her and beckon her over with a gesturing of his finger. When the telepath was within arm's reach, Eric pulled her to himself and began drying her hair for her. Sookie wanted to laugh again, but he took such care of her hair, that she just relaxed and basked in the intimacy of her lover tending to her. He managed to dry her hair without staying in one spot too long and making it unbearably hot, and he also finger comb it so that it dried with a slight wave and plenty of volume. Eric had certainly mastered some interesting things in his 1000 years.

"So, what is on your agenda tonight, Lover?" Eric asked as they went towards the bedroom again.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"Nearly seven." He replied. "I will not be able to leave the house until the sun has set entirely, though."

"I have to be at Merlotte's by eight, so, I guess I go back to the farmhouse, get dressed for work and book it as fast as I can to the bar." Sookie started scrambling around for her clothes, but realized that they were all still in the den. Dashing off naked, she left Eric with a rather appealing memory to keep him company that evening. The amusing image of Sookie holding the weight of her ample breasts as she dashed off, and the glorious view of her jiggling posterior. _Mmmm_...

"Do not forget your purse, Sookie." Eric handed her the small handbag she had brought with her the previous night as he quickly joined her in the living room. The girl grabbed it and quickly checked her phone for any missed calls. There were three. One from Jason asking for help keeping the trolls from him. Apparently that was the "bad trip" Pam had glamoured into him. The other two were from Sam. The first telling her he had put a couple of girls on for training for her upcoming shift, and second (which was a continuation of the first, that had cut him off) telling her that one of them had plenty of restaurant experience, and that she did not need to come in if she was not feeling up for it after all that had happened the previous night with Malcom's nest. "Good news for me?" Eric asked, having heard the second voicemail.

Sookie chuckled, "I guess so. Just let me call Sam real quick." She dialed up the bar, "Hey, Sam, so you don't need me tonight?"

"_Nah, Cher, we got it. Did you just now get the message?"_ Sam was surprised, but only slightly, _"You at Eric's, Sook?"_ She was surprised how neutral he sounded.

"Yeah, I spent the night in Shreveport after all the commotion in Bon Temps. I was just about to speed my butt back over when I listened to your messages." She explained.

"_Then you should just stay out there then, Cher, no point comin' back to town now."_Sam laughed, but she could hear the uneasiness in it, _"__By the way, this new girl is really working out. She's only been here an hour now, but she's just cruising. I'm not trying to muscle you out, but I know you're not hurting for money anymore...?"_

Sookie smiled to herself, "Yes, she can have my hours. I was mostly holding onto that job to keep myself busy, but considering the hours I'm starting to keep now, I don't really need the extra distraction after all."

"_Well, you remember to come and visit us often, okay? If I don't see ya at least once a week, I'm gonna start showing up at Fangtasia to check up on ya and make sure Northman's doin' his job."_ He sounded more than a little serious with that statement.

"Okay, Sam. I'll be sure to come to the bar regularly." She teased. "Talk to you later... Bye."

"_Bye, Sookie."_

She hung up the phone and turned to Eric, "Well, Darlin', I'm all yours for another evening of fun and excitement." She made a grand gesture with her arms as she said this. "What shall we do?"

"I have a question for you, My Sookie." Eric wrapped an arm around her waist and led her back to the living room to sit on the couch, the telepath in his lap, of course. "Did you enjoy staying the evening here?"

"Of course!" Sookie giggled, "Even though you were still dead for the day when I woke up, it was really nice waking up beside you." She kissed his lips gently, "And that shower is HEAVEN!" Eric chuckled at that, "Why?"

"I was wondering if, perhaps, you would like to have a few of your things here for sleeping over? Some spare clothes and toiletries for the occasions." He suggested.

"That would probably be a really good idea. My teeth feel kind of gross." She ran her tongue over her teeth and grimaced at the less than smooth experience.

"Well, I do not need to be at Fangtasia for a couple more hours. Would you like to go to the stores and grab a few things once it is true dark?" He asked.

"That would be great! Can we stop somewhere to eat, too?" Sookie grinned at Eric's smiling nod. "Can I come with you to Fangtasia, too? All I really got to do last night was interrogate my brother and catch one mousy drainer."

"That would be acceptable." Eric nodded. "Also, did my ears deceive me? Did you quit your job at Merlotte's?"

"Yeah, pretty much... You know how I said I needed the distractions? That's why I was keeping that job despite how much you were paying me?"

"Yes."

"Well, after yesterday and last night, I kinda realized with the new hours I'll be working with you, on top of the late hours I'll have to keep to spend time with you- I'm really not going to have a whole bunch of free time during the day anyway. I mean, I'll sleep til one or two in the afternoon, and then you're up by six or seven at the latest, depending on the season. So the only time I'll really be spending at Merlotte's would be mostly time taken away from spending with you, reading, having fun, or time taken away from when I should be sleeping. It wouldn't really be filling up my "free time", y'know?" She explained.

"That seems like an accurate assessment." Eric nodded, "You do not feel like these circumstances were forced, then?"

Sookie scoffed, "Not at all. I think everything is happening the way it should, and I should be grateful that I am lucky enough to have such a well-paying job, attentive lover, and means of distraction in such a turbulent time in my life."

Eric smiled, "You are much more mature than Compton gave you credit. The way he tried to reign you in when you were in audience with me was quite disrespectful of your abilities."

Sookie did not want to talk about Bill, so she quickly changed the topic and said, "I'm gonna call my brother really quick and make sure he's alright after the Pam induced trip he took last night." She told him, still playing with the phone in her hand. Eric merely nodded and leaned against the wall as he watched her.

After a couple rings, Jason's phone went to voicemail and the sister left a message telling him to call her when he had the chance. Sookie hung up and turned to Eric, "Well, c'mon, Lover, let's get this train a'trekking and not waste any time."

Aside from the drugstore where Sookie picked out the toiletries she would be keeping at Eric's place (as well as brushed her teeth, finally, in the public washroom there), the vampire also took her to a fastfood restaurant for a quick meal, and finally a clothing store that had all sorts of dresses, skirts, and blouses to Sookie's taste. They were much higher quality and_much_more expensive than she was used to purchasing. Of course she did not realize this until she began trying them on and came out of the dressing room looking depressed.

"What is it, Lover?" Eric asked, having felt the abrupt swing in her mood while she was in the changing room.

"E-Eric, this stuff is really expensive..." Sookie admitted in a hushed whisper.

The vampire glanced at a few of the tags and snorted, "Hardly. Sookie, do you realize that the blouse you are holding costs less than my socks?"

"Eric, your socks are probably two hundred dollars." Sookie leered at him, "I'm just... Not that extravagant."

"Sookie, you are not used to having high quality garments. Of course, what you wear looks absolutely lovely on you, but you could make a paper bag look flattering because of how beautiful you are." She rolled her eyes, but still blushed at the complement. "There is nothing wrong about buying fine things, especially since they are well within your means to afford them now."

"But if I look good in what I wear now, why should I have to buy all this expensive stuff?" She quizzed.

"It is a status symbol. It is a symbol of wealth. Wealth is a tool in commanding respect. Respect is what keeps others from doing and saying inappropriate things. In vampire culture respect must be preserved above all else." He explained. "As long as you are buying items that suit your taste, then you are not changing who you are, you are merely glorifying your beauty."

Smiling to herself, she nodded. If she was going to survive in the vampire world, she needed to be prepared to go the extra mile. Not to mention- she liked the clothes she picked out. What did it matter if this dress was ten dollars or ten thousand dollars, so long as she was not living beyond her means?

"Haha, I guess I'm so used to not having any money that I kinda just flinch on automatic." She laughed at herself.

"We are all creatures of habit. What makes us more evolved is our ability to adapt." Eric smirked. "Of course, adaptation is a progression, and we cannot expect ourselves to change on a dime. Now, have you tried all of these on?"

"Yup."

"Which ones did you like?" Eric asked, holding out his hands for the keepers. Sookie laid all but one skirt that just did not hang off of her right into his waiting arms. "All right, go hang that one up and I will get your items rung up."

Sookie nodded and skipped off, making Eric smile at her sweetness. As he went over to the register, the woman behind the counter smiled flirtatiously as she began scanning the clothing. "Will you leave that one out?" Eric pointed to the dress she had just rung up. It was a baby blue, satin, club dress, and Eric thought Sookie would look beautiful in it that evening if she would oblige him in wearing it.

Sookie arrived in time to see Eric handing over his credit card. When she made a sound to protest, Eric held up a single finger and smiled at her in such a way, that she felt like she would be spoiling his fun by objecting. With a blush, Sookie managed to squeak out, "Thank you, Eric." And he smiled at her mischievously now.

"Sookie, would you mind wearing this dress tonight?" He held up the blue dress, "I really wish to see how you look in it."

Considering that she was wearing the clothes she had worn last night, the woman was all for changing, "Sure, it's just as good as anything else I picked." She shrugged, taking the dress and wondering if she could pull off using the small space of the Corvette as a changing room.

"Thank you. Would it be all right if she changed into the dress here?" He asked the saleswoman.

"Of course." The clerk smiled sweetly, but Sookie could hear her thoughts of,_Lucky bitch. Wish I had a hunk-o-man like that buying me this expensive stuff!_

Sookie took the dress Eric had handed her and went back to the dressing room. When she emerged a few moments later, Eric was grinning from ear to ear. The neckline was a deep V that showed off her ample cleavage without being lewd, and the skirt came to about mid-thigh and flared out beautifully when she gave him a spin to show off the dress. "Absolutely beautiful." Eric purred.

_If you like looking at cellulite._That same voice sneered in Sookie's head, making her extremely self-conscious... As well as regret the greasy fast food hamburger she had just eaten.

As the pair walked back to Eric's corvette and threw the rest of the clothes in the back, Eric finally addressed the emotions he felt swimming through Sookie. "Lover, what is wrong?"

She let out a pained sigh, "I'd rather not talk about it. Just one of the curses of my supposed gift."

"Was the saleswoman thinking something you did not like?" Eric asked, annoyed with the woman, but unable to be angry since he could not control other peoples' thoughts.

"Yeah... Eric?"

"Yes?" He turned over the ignition and put the car in reverse. They would go shoe shopping another evening. Luckily, the black, open toed kitten heels Sookie had worn the night before went well with her dress.

"Do I have cellulite?" She realized that she had never looked too intently at the backs of her thighs.

"Not that I have noticed." Eric replied.

"You notice everything." Sookie moaned.

"Then you must not have it." He reasoned.

Sookie smirked, "Even if I did, you'd still think I was pretty, right?"

Eric laughed, "Of course I would. You know, when I was human, women with more curves were much more desirable than the stick figures women strive to be now-a-days."

"Really?" Sookie brightened.

"Yes, and your body type would have been optimal for a man in my station. You have the soft curves that I yearn for, but the build to take on a trying job if necessary." He explained. "Although, I would have tried to spoil you rotten." He took her hand and kissed it.

Feeling better about herself, Sookie smiled the whole way to Fangtasia and hopped enthusiastically into Eric's arms when he helped her out of the car.

"So, what's on the agenda this evening, Darlin'?" Sookie asked as Eric carried her bridal style through the back entrance of the club.

"Well, I have some paperwork to see to first, and then I will be out on the floor for a few hours. I will probably take my lover back to my office at some point this evening and fuck her into oblivion. With her permission I might receive a delicious snack," he licked her throat as he said this, "but I have a bit of business to discuss with you before any of that." He told her.

"What kinda business?" She asked curiously.

Plopping her on the desk, Eric stood in front of her looking a bit weary. "Last night, while we were questioning your brother. You were able to get a name out of him. Lafayette. This is the man that works the kitchen at Merlotte's, correct?" He asked.

"Yes." Sookie had trouble meeting Eric's eyes.

"I want to discuss with you what I will be doing with him." He told her slowly, making Sookie gulp, "I told you last night that I would be detaining him, but I might need your help in questioning him if he proves to be the pain in the ass your brother was."

"Eric," Sookie turned her gaze from him, "I know this is my job... But using my power on my friends and family... It just feels so wrong. 'Cause, what you gotta understand is, I don't just hear what you want me to find when I do this. I hear and see every little thing they think about when I'm focused on them. You'd be surprised at what random things people think about, especially when they're scared."

"I respect your position, Sookie. I genuinely do. However, something you should understand is that the longer it takes me to get the information I need out of him, the longer he suffers." Eric explained.

"Why don't you just glamour the information out of him?" Sookie asked.

"Ah, there is the rub." Eric smirked, "Glamour is all about the_right questions_. If I do not know what to ask, I will not get all of the information that I need. There are often times that the person in question is not aware of certain knowledge that they have, and it takes someone like you to be able to recognize connections a witness or henchman might not make. Glamouring is extremely useful, but for interrogations, it can be a misleading tool." Frowning now, Eric decided to make a deal with his little lover, "I will tell you what. If you call your friend Lafayette and get him to take a meeting with me- I will not torture him for a month like I had planned._However_, depending on how the meeting goes will determine just how much I am forced to scare him to keep him from doing it again. You will be in the room for the purpose of filtering lies from truth. Agreeable?" Eric asked and Sookie nodded slowly. "Good. Now, I will begin my paperwork for the evening, and you can give your friend a call." Eric gestured to his phone.

Slowly, Sookie reached for the phone. When she picked it up, it felt like an anvil in her hand. The sheer weight of it made the girl want to set it down and forget the whole thing. Instead, she brought it to her ear and dialed Merlotte's.

"Hey, Arlene, it's Sookie. Can ya get me Lafayette if he's not too busy?" Sookie kept her voice as steady as she could, but a little tickle was forming, making her voice waver slightly.

"_S'up, Hookuh? You get home a'ight? Those vamps las' night was nasty motha fuckas!"_Lafayette's voice came on a moment later, and Sookie could not help but laugh.

"Yeah, Laf, I was nice and safe all night. So, umm-"

"_And who was dat fine piece o' dead_ass_playin' yo' knight in shinin' armor?"_Lafayette interrupted._"__D'ose udda vamps din' know which ways they was goin' after he showed up!"_

"That was Eric, my new boss-"

"_Yeah, Sam said you was leavin' us. Gonna miss ya, Hookuh, but it pays a'ight, though? I mean-"_

"LAF!" Sookie shouted in the phone, "Sam's gonna kill ya if you keep on the phone all night, so just let me say what I called to say!" She said with more than just a little exasperation. She also saw Eric trying to stifle a laugh at the conversation he was hearing. Gods, he never knew he could be so entertained by humans. Especially when one of those humans was on his "shit list".

"_Sorry, Hookuh. Go on ahead, den."_

"Okay, my boss wants you to come in for a meeting tonight at Fangtasia."

"_Hookuh, is you crazy? You think a fine brotha like me would survive the que fo' dat place? I don' think so!"_

"Lafayette. You either come here after your shift by your own will, or someone will be bringing you against it. Which one sounds more appealing?" Sookie grounded out, clenching her eyes against how horrible speaking to her friend like this felt. "Listen, I'm putting my neck on the line for ya right now, so I better see you hear by1 AM. Got it?"

"_... Sookie... I'm in trouble, ain't I?"_Lafayette's voice became panicked, and she could hear the fear.

"Yes, Laf, you are. But we're just gonna ask ya some questions okay? If ya come in on your own and you just do what they say, everything'll be much better. K?" Sookie did her best to ease her friend's worry as well as back pedal from her former harsh tones.

"_K, Sooks... I'll, uh, I'll see if Sam can let me go a lil early. I will be there tonight. Soon as I can. Promise."_

"Okay, see you later then." Sookie hung up the phone.

"Thank you, Sookie. I know that was difficult for you." Eric told her, not looking up from a ledger he was investigating. "And it appears that I will need your assistance even after our talk with Lafayette." He set the paper down. "I will need to pay you overtime tonight."

"What, why?" Sookie asked, sitting down when Eric gestured at the chair across from his desk.

"It would appear money is being syphoned out of Fangtasia's accounts. Someone is stealing from me. I will need you to interview the staff, and then determine who has been doing this." Eric explained.

"Shouldn't we do that now? I mean, Laf's not gonna be here til almost1AM, and who knows how long it'll take to get through all that. Trying to cram all those interviews into four hours just seems ridiculous." Sookie pressed.

"True, but I need time to prepare for this. Also, I would prefer not to be a server short tonight if one of them is the culprit."

"Then why don't we do this tomorrow night? It'll be aMonday, so it won't be busy. Heck, ya could even close the club for the night, and make it a mandatory staff meeting. That way, even if a couple people are in on it, you won't have to worry about being short handed, and I won't be too tired to be at my best for this." Sookie suggested to her lover.

"Your arrangement is a reasonable one, and I find it very agreeable to our circumstances." Eric nodded at her, "Now that that is out of the way, we should consider heading onto the floor. The club should be considerably filled by now, and we can put your abilities to use." He rose from his desk chair and held his hand out to Sookie as he passed, which she took and came in stride beside him out of the office.

In the club, Sookie felt many eyes upon her. At first she thought it was due to the massive hand holding hers, but soon, she opened her mind, despite the wonderful silence Eric's touch offered, and could hear the voices of those she focused on.

_She's gorgeous... Wait, why do I always wear black?_

_Man, now Master Eric will never look at me!_

Of course, there were a few "bitch" comments floating around, but Sookie was surprised at the actual compliments people could not help but think about her. Some were much more graphic than she would have liked, but it was still a nice confidence booster after the cellulite "comment" from the saleswoman.

Soon, Eric was pulling the telepath into his lap upon his throne, and she snuggled into his embrace as she let her mind wander about the bar. Eric's arm behind her back held her to him while the other ran up and down her exposed thigh, sending little tingles throughout her body. Obviously Eric could feel the effect he was having on her, and she could tell by his little smirk that he enjoyed that response immensely.

When the DJ began playing the next song, Sookie perked up. It was Black Horse and a Cherry Tree. She had fallen in love with the song immediately when it came out not too long ago. She wanted to hop off of Eric's lap and go dance, but she realized that it was probably unprofessional, which made her deflate.

"Why are you unhappy?" Eric asked.

"I really like this song." Sookie admitted.

"That makes you unhappy?" Eric quirked an eyebrow.

"Just wanted to dance to it." She admitted sheepishly, then gasped when Eric rose and set her on her feet. Soon, he had pulled her to the dance floor and was spinning her about like a professional dancer. "You can _dance!_" Sookie gasped when he had spun her back into his body.

"Of course." Eric smirked, "It is not particularly difficult."

"Okay, let me rephrase," she paused as he spun her out again, "you_will_dance."

Eric could not contain his laugh at that, "For you, yes."

Sookie enjoyed their dance, and when the song ended and a slower one started, Eric pulled Sookie close to himself, beginning to sway gently with her. Resting her head against his chest, Sookie let out a contented sigh. This felt so real and so right. She felt like part of a couple. It felt so good to be with him. Eric made her feel safe, beautiful, and worth something... He made her feel normal and accepted. The thought that this feeling could be ripped from her so easily made her heart ache, though. What about when she grew old? What about if she wanted children? Shaking her head against his chest, Sookie decided on a single thing in this moment. That she would hold onto whatever this was and wherever this went for as long as she could, and as long as she was happy. And never regret it.

"You are so resolved right now." Eric murmured in her ear.

"Eric, I need to talk to you... In private." Sookie whispered back. Before she could blink again, they were in Eric's office, Sookie more than a little dazed at the speed her body had just traveled. "Ugh, warn me next time you're going to do something like that." She groaned, holding her temple.

"You needed to speak to me in private?" He pushed her back to topic. Her resolve in emotions worried him. She had been melancholy before that iron gate had slammed down, and it made him uncharacteristically nervous.

Sookie smiled, "There's just something I wanted to tell you, and I wanted you to know it while it all made sense in my head." Eric gestured for her to continue, "It's been a rough month. So much has happened. So many bad things. So many painful things, and somehow. Well, not somehow, but because of you, all that pain and all that terror... It's been the happiest time in my life." She admitted. "I've felt and done things I've never even known I could since I met you. I don't know where I'll be or what I'll be doing five, ten or a hundred years from now, but I don't think I'll be happy unless it's with you."

Eric was not sure if Sookie had just told him she wanted to come over, or if she was just trying to get her point across, but whatever it was she was saying- she was stating pure and simple that it would be with him.

"Sookie, however long you wish to keep me, is however long I will stay by your side." Eric smiled.

Diving into his body, Sookie craned her neck back, begging for his lips. Eric did not leave her waiting. Soon, her bottom was resting on the edge of Eric's desk and her skirt was up about her waist.

Pressing her chest slightly, Eric had her lie back as he knelt down and slid her panties off. Sookie whimpered and reached for her lover's long hair as he buried his mouth against her sex. His fingers soon came to assist and she was left panting and writhing against his paperwork and ledgers.

As she came, Eric slid swiftly inside her, distracting Sookie from wondering when the hell he had gotten his pants unfastened and opened. She cried out happily at the sudden invasion, her legs rising up towards her chest to feel him deeper as he held her hips and crashed his own against her. Taking her ankles into his hands, Eric brought them together in front of him before pushing them off to one side, effectively twisting Sookie's hips so that she now lay on her left. The new angle made her gasp and groan, her right hand reaching to hold the edge of the desk as she cried with pleasure.

"You feel so good!" Sookie gasped, her eyes clenching shut and then howling as Eric began to adjust their position again. He brought her hips past the edge of the desk and slowly turned her until her legs straightened out, and dropped to the floor, cock still buried deep inside her as he now took her from behind. This position was a bit more uncomfortable for Sookie, his overall girth putting a bit of pain in the strokes that caressed her tightened entrance. "Ah, ow!" She whimpered, holding a hand back to keep his hips from coming all the way to her own as she adjusted to the feeling.

Complying with her needed adjustments, Eric ran his hands all over her body, coaxing his lover into relaxation so that she would stop tensing and clenching around his cock so intensely. Not that he minded. It felt amazing. But he was going to come sooner than he wanted if she kept it up. Dropping his hands to her thighs, he helped her widen her gait so that she would be more comfortable.

Unzipping the back of her dress, Eric pulled the straps from her shoulders, leaving the entire garment bunched at her waist as he undid her bra and flung it aside. Taking her breasts into his hands, he fondled them and plucked her nipples as he now crashed at full force inside of her.

"Bite me, oh, please bite me." Sookie whispered breathlessly as all the different sensations made her crave just one more. The feeling of his fangs slipping into her flesh.

Eric did not need to be asked again. As gently as he could in such an impassioned state, Eric let his fangs click into place and then slide into the inviting column of her throat. By the erratic clenching of her muscles, Eric could tell Sookie was orgasming at the sensation, and quickly followed her over the edge.

Pressing his cool chest into her overheating back, Eric basked in the panting rise and fall of her body. After a moment of luxuriating, Eric finally pulled away and straightened his clothes before sorting out his lover. She was still boneless, sprawled across his desk, eyes glazed and a dazed smile on her lips. Eric chuckled at her expression. She was the picture of sexual satiation.

Taking her to the couch where she would be more comfortable, Eric quickly replaced her underthings before putting her dress to rights. She was a little rumpled, but still beautiful, maybe more so with that post sex glow.

"Are you all right, Lover?" Eric asked with that knowing smirk. He could feel the energy thrumming through her, the pleasure, the kittenish joy of his attentions.

"Mmmhmmm." She purred languidly, reaching for him and pulling him in for a kiss. "I'm just gonna go to the ladies' room and clean up a bit. Meet you back on the dais?" She asked.

Eric hesitated at allowing her to stroll the club alone smelling like blood and sex, but with his scent so deeply infused with hers, no vampire would dare touch her. "All right, Lover. Use the employee washroom, though. You will have more privacy." He kissed her forehead as he hauled her up and showed her the facility before leaving her to wash up.

Sookie took care of washing between her thighs, trying to flush away the remnants of Eric's spendings so that they would not be seeping down her legs the rest of the night or soaking uncomfortably into her underwear. Her experience from earlier that afternoon had at least taught her something to prevent a very embarrassing situation later.

Once she was satisfied with her cleanup, Sookie grabbed her clutch and headed back towards the main floor of the club. As she did, an onslaught of thoughts overwhelmed her as female fangbangers saw her emerge from the back.

_What the hell? Doesn't she know she's s'pose to exit through the employee doors when Master Eric's through with her?_

_Does she think Master Eric wants to see her again already?_

_Trying to find another vamp to suck on her already?_

Sookie quickly made a beeline for the bar and asked Long Shadow to "church up" her gin and tonic. The Native American vampire quirked an eyebrow as he laid the drink out for her and she gulped it down, signaling for another. He did so with little care, but when she repeated the actions a third time, he was hesitant.

"Just one more." Sookie assured him, "Just need the edge off. It's rough here tonight."

Still hesitant, Long Shadow made the third drink and slid it over to her. Sookie sipped it slowly, which made him feel only slightly better. Standing at the bar for a little while, Sookie let the alcohol begin running its course.

"Little liquid courage before you try and snag another vamp?" A disgusted voice asked behind her. Sookie turned slowly and found a rather gorgeous woman, though she would have looked so much better without all of the dark eyeshadow and fire engine red lips.

"S'cuse me?" Sookie was a little dazed as the alcohol really began to pump through her, a mixture of post sex increased circulation and a slight bit of blood loss helping it along.

"You're not supposed to stick around when Master Eric's done with you." The woman replied snidely.

"Umm, I work here." Sookie tried to explain.

"You know, you shouldn't fuck where you eat, then." Sookie was getting annoyed fast, and the alcohol was really cruising now.

"Well, since they don' serve food 'ere, an' vampires usually fuck_what_they eat- I think 'm handlin' things jus' fine." Sookie snapped.

Long Shadow laughed. Not smirked, but full out laughed. Sookie had never witnessed such a thing from him.

"Is there a problem here, ladies?" Pam's silky, sultry voice interrupted them. "Sookie, Eric wants to know why you are not in his lap right now."

"I jus' came t'grabba drink... Or three." Sookie clinked her ice as an explanation. "Then this chick, who fell outta th'whore tree and banged e'ery vamp on 'er way down, decided t'gimme some advice on the Eric fuckin' protocol."

Pam did the equivalent of a shocked vampire face, which mostly consisted of a stunned feeling that lasted shorter than a human blink, "Well get that sweet ass of yours up there before he spontaneously combusts. And you, Rhianna," Pam was still containing the bouts of laughter at Sookie's comment and turned to the sexy fangbanger, "if you want my fangs tonight, you better keep away from the Master's human."

"His... Human?" Rhianna looked put off.

"Yes, Eric has taken her as his human, and disrespecting her is a direct insult to him. So either you butt the fuck out, or you will no longer be allowed in this club. Understood?" Pam told her authoritatively.

"Yes. I understand."

"Lover, I was not comfortable with the way your emotions turned when you came back in here. What happened?" Eric asked as Sookie, unsteadily, slid back onto his lap.

"Justa fang'anger givin' me 'ard time. Pam took care ovit." Sookie took a long sip of her gin and tonic.

"How many of those did you have?" Eric asked.

"This'm' fiiiiird." Sookie tried to look at him innocently, but he could tell she was officially drunk.

"Long Shadow." The vampire was at Eric's side instantly after his name was spoken clearly, "Just how much alcohol did you give her?"

"She told me to church it up." He shrugged, "So, I gave doubles."

"Are you telling me that she has had the equivalent of six shots of gin in less than fifteen minutes?" Eric was not happy at all.

"I only put one shot in the third." He tried to back pedal.

"Five shots, then, in under fifteen minutes?" Sookie chose that moment to tip the rest of the contents of her drink into her mouth, effectively sending ice cascading down her face and onto the floor.

"That would be a yes." Long Shadow grimaced and took the glass from Sookie as her arm flailed outward.

"Y'know, drinkin' is'sawesome." Sookie tried to whisper conspiratorially in Eric's ear, "Nodonly do I not care dat all th'girls 'ere 'ate me, bud I I know dat dat girl's got hep V, an' dat guy's tryin' t'score V, Ginger's bangin a vamp dat keeps glamrin' 'er and there's someone 'ere dat's plannin' t'steal a t-shirt."

Though the way she was behaving was not what Eric would deem "appropriate", he had to admit that she got her job done faster drunk. Or maybe she was just less squeamish or easily conflicted this way.

Eric summoned Pam and listed off the people that needed to be removed.

"Darlin'..." Sookie looked a bit strange, "Does Ginger 'ave a friend here? Tha's workin'?"

"Yes, Belinda is here. Why?"

"Can ya call'er up?" She asked.

"Yes, but why?"

"I gotta ask'er some'in." Eric quirked an eyebrow but summoned Belinda.

"Yes, Master?" Belinda inclined her head.

"Sookie has a question." Eric directed her attention at the intoxicated girl in his lap.

Belinda merely looked at Sookie, but said nothing, waiting impatiently.

"Do y'know the vamp Ginger's been seein'?" She asked sluggishly.

"Umm," a picture of Long Shadow popped in her head.

"Y'know, never mind, I'm jus' being stupid. Too much t'drink." Belinda gave the blonde another annoyed look and walked away once Eric dismissed her, "Well that sucks. I liiked 'im."

"What are you talking about, Sookie?" Eric was having trouble following her.

"Long Shadow's the one tha's been stealin' from ya." Sookie rested her head against his shoulder so she could continue whispering to him. "He's been glam'ring Ginger t'help 'im. Putting money on her but makin' her see all singles and thinkin' they're tips... Then he swaps it out later."

"How do you know this?" Eric asked.

"I saw him doin' it. When I saw how messed up Ginger's head was, I jus' kept an eye on her, 'cause I was 'fraid someone was hurtin' 'er and makin' 'er forget. So, I was just makin' sure vamps wasn' doin' bad stuff t'er and I saw what Long Shadow did... Did y'know, if I'm watching someone's mind while it's bein' glam'med, I can see what's really hapennin' even while their minds' bein' re'ranged?" Sookie told him.

"I did not know this." Eric raised an eyebrow.

"Me neither... Til 'ow." She giggled.

"I have something to ask you, Sookie, and now might be the only time I get the real answer from you." Eric whispered against her ear, "If I were to find out who it was that was hurting you, would you leave me for killing him?"

"No." Sookie smiled drunkenly at him, "I'd yell, 'n' act angry, but I'd be relieved too much, and I know you woulda done it cuz you know I'm waitin' for him to die... Eric... Did you kill my uncle?" Sookie asked him worriedly.

"Not yet." Eric was overjoyed that he now had to play less of a guessing game about who it was he was hunting. A quick hop over to Jason Stackhouse's and a little glamouring would give him all the rest of the information he needed.

"I really wish you wouldn't." Sookie's voice leveled out.

"No, you really wish it were not me doing it. You wish he would die in an accident or illness now. You do not want him alive, and I will happily take care of that." Eric explained to her.

"Eric." She whimpered, "Don't you see? It'd be like me killing him, 'cause you're doin' it for me!"

"Do you ever wonder, Sookie? If there were others before you, or after you?" Eric asked softly.

She bowed her head and nodded sadly, tears falling down her eyes. It was such a public place for them to be having this discussion. Every vampire could probably hear their conversation, and Sookie was growing angry at him for laying the darkest part of her life out for all the vampire world to hear. It was only now that the seriousness of the conversation had sobered her enough to realize this, and her anger grew stronger.

"I can't believe you would do this to me." Sookie whispered tearily. "How could you let all of them know that about me?" Her eyes swept the dance floor.

"Sookie," Eric's eyebrows drew together, "do you not realize what this dais is?" Sookie looked at him angrily, but with curiosity, "The platform is enchanted with a Secrets Sphere."

"Enchanted?"

"Yes," Eric smirked, "no one can hear us, not even vampires, if our voices remain at a whisper. I had a witch do the spell when I decided to conduct Sheriff business during working hours at this club. It was a way for me to enthrall the vermin whilst keeping the businesses of Area 5 confidential. Unless you are standing on the dais, you cannot hear what is whispered upon it."

"Woah, that's pretty cool." Sookie was surprised.

"And you seem to have sobered up quite a bit." Eric pointed out. "Anger flushes your system quickly, although my blood might have expedited it as well." He chuckled.

"Yeah, I still feel a lil' drunk, but not so outta my head. That's probably why I didn't puke my guts out after that much alcohol in such a short amount of time." She giggled as well. "But wait... There's witches, too?"

"Yes. There are many creatures and those sensitive to them." Eric nodded. "It was silly of me to think you would realize that no one could hear us. I suppose I am unaccustomed to elaborating such things. There are so few that I wish to be privy to my inner workings, that I have forgone explanations."

"I get it. Before people got used to trusting my "hunches", I had to explain a lot of stuff. Of course, now when people don't believe me right away I think I get a bit indignant." Sookie told him. "Not that I usually spill about everyone's private lives, but when I know someone's cheating on one of my friends, I'll tell them to dump him or her."

Eric was grateful that she was quick to let his secretive nature slide. Secrets were very important to survival, and he knew that his would be safe with Sookie.

It was a little aftermidnightwhen Sookie felt a familiar brain pattern enter the club. "Lafayette's here." She told Eric. He nodded and rose, setting Sookie back on her feet.

Together, the pair found the flamboyant man and escorted him to Eric's office.

"Lafayette Reynolds. I have learned some things about you that displease me." Eric said sternly as he sat across his desk, glaring at the man who sat opposite him. Sookie had chosen to sit on the couch and remain a quiet observer so that Lafayette did not try and look to her for answers she would be unable to provide. "As I have told Mr. Stackhouse, being associated with Sookie will only keep you so safe from me. However, based on the information I was able to glean from Jason, I am inclined to hear your side of this indiscretion before exacting my brand of justice."

Lafayette's face was more than just nervous. He was terrified, "Listen, I'll tell ya anything you want t'know, just don't kill me."

"Very well, what vampires have you been draining?" Eric snarled.

The man flinched, "I ain't drained nobody. His name's Eddie, he just lets me take a bit of his blood and I do a lil' somethin' somethin' for him. It's a business arrangement, ain't nobody gettin' hurt." He promised. "I just saw him last night, did our usual. You can go check in on him, he's perfectly healthy... For a dead guy, y'know."

"You will cease all V dealings, and you will give me a list of all of your buyers. Understood?" Eric snapped.

"Just gimme a pen and paper. I'll give ya their names, addresses, and birthdays. Fuck, I'll be givin' ya their social security numbers if ya want 'em!" Lafayette offered.

"Just their names and addresses will suffice." Eric had to admit, this meeting was going phenomenally well in comparison to the previous night's. He pushed a legal pad and pen at Lafayette who proceeded to write down all of the information he could recall before getting out his phone and listing more. When the paper was handed back, Eric read it over. "They're all there. I swear it... 'Cept..."

"Except?" Eric looked at Sookie.

"My brother. It's okay, Lafayette you don't need to be protecting me. I already know, and Eric and I have already handled Jason." She explained, and Lafayette relaxed.

"You wish to protect Sookie? Even though she is the reason you are here now?" Eric asked curiously.

"Sookie be my girl." Lafayette shrugged, "The way I see it, you woulda found out bout me anyway if you already had Jason. Sorry, Hookuh, but your brother ain't the brightest crayon in the Crayola boxset. Whether he'd sell me out intentionally or accidentally, I was gettin' caught the second I was fool enough to sell to him. He'd already told Tara, and she was right bout one thing. Givin' Stackhouse somethin' like that is like puttin' a Hoho in front of a diabetic." Sookie shook her head amusedly at that.

"I will be monitoring your activities from here on out. Given how closely you associate with the Stackhouses, I would suggest that dealing any illegal drugs end right now." Lafayette nodded emphatically, but Sookie squeaked. "Is there something to add, Sookie?"

"N-no. It can wait." Sookie murmured. She had heard in Lafayette's head how he was wondering how he was ever going to be able to afford to pay for his mother's mental health care, and keep her in the institution without being able to draw the extra cash from dealing.

"As for how you will be redeeming yourself to me..." Eric turned his gaze back on to the man before him, "You will owe me three favors. They will not be easy, and you will perform them to the best of your abilities and to my full instructions. I will demand these favors at my discretion, and there will be no excuses. Understood?"

"Yessir." Lafayette's head bobbed apprehensively.

"My first favor begins now. And this one will last your entire life." Eric explained.

Lafayette gulped but nodded.

"Whenever Sookie is in Bon Temps and I am not beside her. Whether it be day or night, you will watch for her safety. It will be your job that she is not harassed, injured, or in any way detained in your town. I understand that with her gift, you will not be able to keep all forms of harassment at bay, but if she is altered in the slightest while she is there, you can expect yourself to be held accountable. Is this understood?"

Floored by the extent of this favor, Lafayette could do little more than nod and utter, "Yessir," once more.

"Now, give me your cell phone number, and I will give you mine. I assume that you already have Sookie's number?" At Lafayette's nod, Eric continued, "If it is after dark, you will contact me immediately if anything sinister seems to be occurring. If it is daytime, you will contact Sam Merlotte. He and I have an understanding about Sookie, and I know that he will protect her to the best of his abilities as well. You, Lafayette, are now my ears and eyes of Bon Temps." The two men exchanged numbers, and the cook was dismissed.

Once Lafayette was out of the office, Sookie looked at Eric and explained why she had begun to speak earlier. After hearing of Lafayette's situation, Eric contemplated ways of assisting him, and whether he wished to or not.

"I will consider ways of supplementing his income, but do not expect much from me. Depending on how competent he proves to be on this task, I may choose to put him on salary." Eric told her.

"I guess that's more than I could hope to expect." Eric's eyebrows rose at that comment and Sookie quickly back peddled, "I only meant that, considering the circumstances, your consideration is much more than generous!" She squeaked.

Eric's eyebrows remained high on his forehead, "I cannot tell if you are angling your previous statement, or if you originally meant that as disappointment."

Sookie sighed, "Eric, you have a direct line to my emotions. Did you feel disappointment, or did you feel relief?"

Eric smirked, "You are correct. I did not feel disappointment. However, Lover, you may wish to choose your words more carefully. In this setting, I could interpret how you meant your response. Others would not be as privy as I to the meaning behind such an ambiguous statement." He paused for a moment. "However, considering how well you conducted yourself during my meeting with your friend, I think it is safe to believe you have a fair amount of control already when we are conducting business."

Sookie did not know why, exactly, but his comment angered her and she lashed out, holding onto the one part she understood that bothered her.

"I know you've only been "training" me a bit so far, but I think you forget how often I've had to hold my tongue based off of what I hear." Sookie snapped. "I didn't just become a telepath. I was born one. I've been keeping secrets my entire life, and the fact that you think I have only just_now_learned to control my responses in public doesn't reflect well on what you think of me."

"I was attempting to compliment you."

"Congratulations. You failed." Sookie huffed, but rather than storming out, she flopped onto the couch. Right now was not a time for an infamous "Sookie Storm Out", but she needed him to understand that his idea of "respecting her" did not impress her in the least right now. "I don't know if your response to that statement was a test, or what, but you said that when it's just the two of us, I was free to let go and express my take on a situation so long as I didn't undermine you in front of others. I did a crummy job of it last night with my brother, but I passed with flying colors tonight! These aren't strangers you're making climb through the minds of. These are my family and friends, people I've spent my entire life trying to honor the privacy of. And yet, I DO IT!" She shouted, "I do it because I care about you, and because you need to know everything that's going on. I-I crossed a seriously strong moral boundary for you and... And you... You... You just threw it back in my face!"

Eric remained seated behind his desk at her tirade. Though it frustrated him beyond belief, her statement rang true. As much as it pained him to say it, he uttered, "You are right. I apologize."

Sookie wanted to tell him to shove his apology where the "sun don't shine", but she strained herself and remained silent until she could articulate exactly how she wanted to say her next statement, "You said you would protect me, right?"

"I did, and I will."

"Part of being the "protected" is trusting the one watching your back. I don't know how vampires operate, but, for me, having someone go back on their word doesn't really instill trust." Sookie murmured. "I've trusted you blindly up until now, and that hasn't necessarily been broken, but I_need_you to keep your word. I can't have you tell me the rules and change the game up just because I'm your subordinate at Fangtasia."

"I understand." Eric nodded, "May I make a point, though?"

"Yes."

"I was not testing you. I, also, did not intend to infuriate you. Seeing as you were manipulated by Compton, and quite possibly have someone in your home town that you have known for years murdering your friends and family, I understand that trust is not something you feel you should give so freely. I did not, however, mean to demean your abilities or the way that you conduct yourself. Truly. I have infuriated many people and vampires, and never bothered with an apology or explanation. I hope that you realize what it means to have me apologize."

Sookie sat still as stone for a moment. A large part of her thought he was being extremely arrogant to think that just because he never bothered apologizing to anyone else, that it should mean so much more that he finally did to_someone_. Whether it was her, Pam, or the newspaper boy. From the lips of a human or vampire, all sincere apologies were created equal in her opinion.

"Words are just thoughts spoken aloud, but I don't have the advantage you do in feeling their sincerity. I've known a long time the thoughts behind spoken words." Sookie rose, "Now, I'm getting tired, and gonna catch a cab back to your place and drive back to Bon Temps. I'll talk to you later." Grabbing her purse, Sookie left and went to the bar to call a taxi.

Eric remained in his office, feeling Sookie leave twenty minutes later. Her message was clear to him, and he became uncharacteristically humbled, though maybe more than a little furious. She had plainly said that because of his actions, words were not enough to apologize. He had already sullied his word once, and something more was needed to redeem it.

"Dear Abbey, come to my office." Eric muttered into his intercom.

Pam was there in an instant, with a curious look on her face.

**TBC**

**A/N: THANKS FOR READING! PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW, AND I WILL SEE YOU ALL NEXT WEEK!**

**-ANDI**


	9. Chapter 9

Trouble Maker

_A/N: As always, thank you to __**Nerdygirl**__ for editing my work!_

_-Andi_

**Chapter Nine: Horror Movie**

Sookie awoke to a bright morning, sad and lonely in her bedroom in Bon Temps. Sunlight was filtering in through her open window, and its warm rays did little to console her conflicted temperament.

It had been a week since her fight with Eric. It had frustrated her beyond all recognition that he had not tried to contact her yet. Not just because it seemed to him that he was not held to the same standard of contrition she was, but because he had an advantage that she did not. He could feel, every night, how being apart from him was killing her on the inside. It was not fair that she should have to suffer, and it was inconceivably unfair that he was allowed to be aware of how their separation was burdening her.

Was a phone call so much to ask for? Was an apology so out of the question?

_But he__**did**__apologize, Sookie._Her traitorous brain decided to make her feel even more like crap. Still, he had gone back on his word that she was free to express her opinions in private. THAT, or so she told herself, was why she wanted something more than just words. She did not know what exactly "more" she needed, but that was his problem to solve, not hers. Although, it was quickly becoming her problem as every night was a harder struggle to keep herself from calling him.

Getting out of bed, Sookie made quick use of the shower and dressed in a pair of jeans and an old Lynyrd Skynyrd concert shirt that had belonged to her father, then Jason, and now her. It was in surprisingly good condition considering the two previous wearers of the shirt.

Soon, Sookie was out the door and heading towards Merlotte's. No one knew that she was back in town, yet. She had survived on frozen meals, and vacuum sealed, prepackaged foods the entire week. The last thing she wanted was people bad mouthing vampires when she was suffering the confliction she was.

It was already a bit pastnoon, and Sookie figured she would grab lunch at her old work place so that she could talk to Sam. She was trying to start a relationship with a very old, and important, Supe, and Sam seemed like the only person she could try and get advice from.

"Hey, Cher!" Sam greeted her with a tight hug. "Was wondering when I'd see you again! Was about to drive to Shreveport!" He joked

"Hey, Sam." She gave him a squeeze back, "Eric and I had an argument last week, and I just didn't feel like staying in Shreveport. I haven't seen him this whole time." She admitted sadly.

"Well pull up a stool and gimme the lowdown." Sam went behind the bar and poured a sweet tea. It did not escape the telepath that her former boss was a little too pleased to hear about an argument between herself and Eric. "Want anything to eat? Lafayette's here today." He told her.

"Sure. Usual. Just a burger. No fries." She said and Sam went to give the order.

"You want some cheese on dat, Hookuh?" She heard him call from the kitchen window.

"Sure! Cheddar!" She called back.

"Comin' up!"

"Hey, Sookie. Din know you was back in town." A Cajun accent startled Sookie, as it was right in her ear.

Sookie turned on her stool, "Hey, René." She smiled at him, "Yup, been back for a week now, but I just wanted to lie low. Get some sleep; take care of things at Gran's house, y'know?"

"Still working at that vampire bar?" He asked, and she could hear a not so happy emotion in his voice, though his mind was difficult to read.

"Yeah. Had a disagreement with my boss on my last shift, though. He can be a pain in the ass."

"So long as he's not a pain in the neck." René joked, but when he saw Sookie's hand instinctively go to her throat, he did not miss the two little bite marks, though they were practically healed after a week, there was still unfaded scarring. "Sookie, you din let dat vamp bite ya, didja?"

"René, why don't you go back to Arlene's section? She just refilled your beer." Sam suggested, sensing a heated argument on the horizon if he did not redirect the road crew member's attention.

The Cajun barely managed to keep himself from stomping as he went back to his booth with Jason and Hoyt. When she saw her brother, Sookie wondered why he was sitting around ignoring her. Had Pam not erased the sister's presence in his memory from the interrogation? Was he mad at her for something else? Did he just not see her? Biting her lip, Sookie reached out with her mind and touched his.

…_.working for vamps. Thought we were past this when she stopped moonin' over Vampire Bill. Hope she doesn't notice me. Fuckin' René had to go over there and talk to her-_

"So, you let Eric bite ya?" Sam asked, startling Sookie out of her daze while she listened to Jason.

"Yeah..." Sookie whispered meekly. It hurt to know that Sookie's own brother was ashamed of her. So ashamed, in fact, that he would go so far as to pretend that he was unaware of her presence in a nearly empty bar, seated less than twelve feet away.

Sam let out a deep sigh, "Well, I knew that'd be happening 'cause of what he said when you went to sign those employment contracts." He wiped down the countertop thoughtfully, "So, what'd you wanna talk about?"

"Sam... I know it's not fair of me to ask you about these things, but you're the only one I know that isn't a vampire that knows anything about them." Sookie was still speaking just above a whisper, as if she thought the Secrets Sphere were around the bar. "But... Well, Eric told me that when it's just the two of us, I was free to put in my own two cents about stuff. Y'know? So long as I didn't question or challenge him in front of others?"

"Yeah..?"

"Well, last week I did that. I kept quiet the whole time during the meeting, doin' everything he asked, but during the meeting I saw something in the person's mind. I waited til it was over to tell Eric about what I saw. The person was resorting to bad stuff 'cause he needed the money to help his family. When we finished the conversation I made a remark, but Eric took it the wrong way and I quickly explained what I meant... I guess what I'm trying to say is- it felt like he was going back on the arrangement. Like, suddenly my opinion wasn't wanted whether people were around or not."

Sam nodded through her retelling and finally said, "Well, y'know, he could just not be used to listening to people's opinions. I mean, I know you got years of training yourself not to react to what you hear 'round here, but you still slip up, right?"

"Yes…?"

"So, he's got centuries of not giving a rat's ass 'bout what others have to say, and you expect him not to slip up and fall into old patterns after only a week or two? You sure hold that vamp to some high standards, Sookie." He was wiping down glasses now. "I ain't sayin' he's in the right or that you are. I'm just sayin' in the Supe world, where humans are concerned- even I think I'm in the right more often than normal people." He smiled boyishly at her, "But you ain't normal people either- so I think it best you meet him halfway over it."

"He apologized to me." Sookie muttered.

"Eric Northman... Apologized to you? Did he actually say "I apologize"?" Sam was flabbergasted, "Shit, Cher, you got a big ol' vamp wrapped round your lil finger, dontcha?" He laughed uproariously, "Wish I coulda seen the Viking mutter those words." He laughed harder.

"Sam," Sookie huffed, "just because the_great Eric Northman_apologized, doesn't mean that he should get off scott free! I mean, I practically act like his lapdog when other vamps are around! What kind of respect does that show, if he can go back on his word so easily? How much can I trust him to protect me if he can so easily disregard our contract?"

The Shifter sighed, "First off, the way you act in front of vampires is in your contract; him listening to your opinion isn't. That's an arrangement, off the record, between the two of you. Just like the two of you exchanging blood. That ain't in the contract. You coulda easily never let him do it, but he'd still have to protect you." Sookie frowned at that statement, "Secondly, by making you act that way in public, Eric is showing other vamps that_you accept his protection_. That_you_respect and trust him enough to be in charge of keeping you safe. Shooting your mouth off shows other vamps that you don't think Eric knows what he's doing... Try and reverse the roles, Sooks. Stop thinking of him as a man and you as a woman. Say Eric was a woman, and you was a man, or you was both men or both women. Gender doesn't have anything to do with who's in charge of whom. And I've known you long enough to know_that'_s what's really bothering you." He looked at Sookie pointedly, "Am I right?"

Sookie thought about it for a second, frowning harder with every passing minute as she realized the truth behind the assessment, "Why does everyone seem to know me better than myself, all the sudden?" She demanded sullenly.

"It ain't about knowing you better. It's about understanding the parts you won't look deep enough into. Hell, sometimes strangers or enemies are the best judges of character." Sam shrugged.

Lafayette rang the bell on his counter, "Hookuh, your order be up!"

"I'll get it, Sam." Sookie hopped off of her barstool and went to the window, "You doin' okay, Laf?"

"Sure, Hookuh. Way I see it, life could be much worse. How you doin'?"

"Better, I think. Things got a little combative after you left between me and Eric, but I think it'll be okay." She smiled slightly.

"I hope so. He start not likin' you, the bootiful Lafayette's not gonna live to see another sunrise!" He joked, but she could hear genuine fear in his head. She could also hear his remembered conversation with Eric. Quickly, subtly, she zeroed in on a phone call Lafayette had received a mere thirty minutes after she had stomped out of Fangtasia.

Eric had called Lafayette and informed the cook that she, Sookie, had gone back to Bon Temps. Apparently, all week, Lafayette's mission was to deter any whispers that the telepath was back in town. Her friend had also been sleeping in his car a mile and a half, outside her telepathic reach, from her house. If a vehicle came within that area, Lafayette was to call Eric at night, or Sam during the day, though not alerting Sam to Sookie's return unless necessary.

"You're not mad at me?" Sookie asked worriedly, now knowing what her friend had been put through, wondering when the man actually had slept the last week, all of his spare time spent at the mile marker from the farmhouse.

"Course not. I already said it ain't your fault. I got my fool ass in the predicament, and I prolly was the cause of your lovers' spat."

"Who said he was my lover?" Sookie frowned.

"Hookuh, when you as fine as me, you gets t'knowin' what sex smells like. And dat office of your vamp smelled like some good times were bein' had!"

Sookie blushed profusely at that observation, quickly grabbed her burger, and ran back to the bar.

"So you're sleeping with him?" Sam asked, having overheard Lafayette's comment.

"Er..."

"That would be a "yes"." Sam sighed. He knew it was stupid of him to be optimistic... No,_ignorant_, of Sookie's interactions with the vampire Sheriff... But he had hoped that despite everything going on between his crush and her protector, Sam might have gotten his chance.

"Sam-"

"Listen, I know you've never liked me like that, and I came to accept it." Sam shrugged, "Maybe it's for the best, though, too. You're officially off the market. Maybe I can start lookin' at other women the way I used to look at you."

"We're still friends though, right?" Sookie's eyes were pleading.

"Course, Cher." He leaned over the counter and kissed the top of her head. "And you still smell good, even if you smell like vamps."

Sookie chuckled and ate her burger, feeling more at ease.

The next few hours, Sookie spent hanging out with her former co-workers, and introducing herself to one of the new girls on staff. Unfortunately, this meant she had to witness Jason trying to blow right past her, like he had not even seen his sister sitting or standing in the almost empty bar all day. This hurt the most.

It was a little after four when Sookie finally left, heading out to her Acura. As she approached said vehicle, she started turning her head curiously. The car seemed strangely lopsided.

"Got yerself a flat d'ere, Sookie?" That cajun accent from earlier was coming up behind her. Why was René so capable of sneaking up on her when no one else could? She always heard people as they approached. But then, now that Sookie thought about it, whenever the cajun appeared, she always felt as if it were a stranger until she heard his voice or saw him. Why was that? And why was he even still here? The road crew had left hours ago... Maybe he was picking up Arlene?

"Yeah," Sookie shook herself from her musings, "I don't know when that happened. Car was fine when I came here..."

"Mighta rolled over a nail in the gravel. Happens t'da best 'f us." He shrugged. "You wanna ride home? I noticed Arlene's car was drippin' oil, so I came back to check it out. Justa loose oil filter." He explained.

"Nah, I'll just change over to the spare and refill it at the station. Maybe it was a fluke. I'll look for leaks while I'm there." Sookie smiled, grateful for his explanation regarding his presence.

"Let me do dat for ya, Sook." René offered, heading around to the trunk.

"That's okay, René." She smiled as she went to the trunk instead. Her smile faded when she looked at the trunk lock. The cylinder had been chiseled out and Sookie found that she could just swing it open. Upset that someone had blatantly damaged her car, Sookie inspected her spare tire and found it had been slashed. "What is going on here!?" She was flustered beyond comparison as she slammed down the trunk and it bounced right back up. Stomping back towards the bar, Sookie went up to Sam.

"Thought you were headin' out, Sooks?" Sam was surprised to see her back and quickly looked over the bar to see if she had left her purse or cell phone behind.

"Sam, someone deflated one of my tires, broke open the trunk and slashed my spare." Sookie fumed, slamming her purse onto the counter to emphasize her anger.

"You serious, Sookie?" Sam went out to the parking lot to investigate and came back looking infuriated. "Here, I'll give you a ride home."

"Sam, c'mere for a sec." Lafayette's voice called from the kitchen.

"What is it, Lafayette?" Sam asked as he came over, trying to keep his annoyance from coming across in his voice. This day was just getting more and more frustrating for the Shifter.

"Listen, I ain't spose to say much 'bout it, but dat big vamp Sookie be seein' has got me keepin' an eye on her. He said if anything were to be happening to her when he's not 'round for me to call you. Someone fuckin' wit her car like dat... Dat's some serious fuckin' wit. Can you ask her to stay here til sunset when we can call Eric? If she say no, you gotta stay wif 'er. I don't need no 10 foot tall vamp killin' me cuz she be stubborn as a mule." He explained. "I will make sure Terry and I hold down da fort the next four hours if we has to, but you can't let Sooks be without me or you."

Sam nodded, "Yeah, too coincidental... I mean, we ain't had anyone getting harassed or anything, then she comes home and this stuff... You're right. I'll make sure she either stays here or isn't alone."

Walking back towards the bar, Sam saw his former employee standing with her arms around her chest. "What's up?" She asked, shouldering her purse as she suspected he would give her a ride now.

"C'mere, Sooks." He brought her over to the kitchen window so Lafayette could try and back him up, "This kinda stuff with your car. I don't like, even more than I wouldn't like it if we didn't have a killer out there murdering vampire sympathizers. I got two solutions. You either stay here til sunset when Eric can come get you, or I take you back to your place and stay with you til sunset. Those are your only two options." He told her firmly.

As much as Sookie felt she could take care of herself, after losing Gran, she knew that this situation was too real and too dangerous to be foolhardy and stubborn.

"I'll stay here." She said firmly. "Safety in numbers, right?" She grinned weakly, wearing that "Crazy Sookie" smile that none of them had seen in the past week.

"Y-you agree wit us?" Lafayette seemed surprised and suspicious.

Sookie sighed, "I know, I know, but it's not just about keeping myself safe... Lafayette, if Eric found out about this, and found out you DIDN'T get me to do one of those two things- we'd both be in a lot of trouble. The best way to keep you from Eric's wrath is to keep myself safe. Even if this is all just a stupid prank by someone not quite as crazy as our killer, it's still real enough to take seriously."

Sam was completely caught off guard by this. "Sookie, that's..."

She laughed at the stunned looks, "Wow, I must be more stubborn than a mule on a hot summer day."

"You have no idea." They both muttered.

Sam laughed when after another hour of waiting around the bar, Sookie began helping around by clearing tables and refilling condiment dispensers. It was almost seven now, and nearing dusk, making everyone feel much better. "Guess you didn't quit after all, huh, Sooks? Shoulda had you clock in three hours ago!" He laughed.

"Just gonna take out the trash." She laughed back.

They had fallen back into their old routines, and Sam did not think twice about letting Sookie step out of the bar to take out a full garbage bag.

As Sookie flopped the top back over the dumpster, she spun around and was startled to see René standing behind her. "Jesus Christ, Shepherd of Judah! René! Are you tryin' t'give me a heart attack today!?" She started to laugh but her eyes widened as the man's face turned stoney, and she saw his intentions in her mind, quickly followed by his previous crimes. "SAAAAA-AAAHgghhh!"

Sookie's voice choked out as René's garrotte was around her throat with such force that she thought the cartilage of her trachea had snapped. She reached out to try and relieve some of the immediate pressure, enough to regain some of the air her attempted scream had relieved her of. When she could not get a good hold on his hands to push him back, Sookie reached forward and shoved her thumbs against his eyes. Adrenaline fueled by the restriction of air flow, Sookie put forth an awesome amount of force, and the man cried out in pain. As he pulled away, giving Sookie the opportunity to duck beneath his arm, she shoved him, knocking René to the ground as she lunged back towards the door.

She tried to call again for Sam, but her voice could not do it. A sharp pain rocketed through her voice box rather than sound, radiating all the way to her temples.

Tripping suddenly, Sookie fell to the ground, the right side of her face smashing against the ground, a blinding light flashing behind her eye at the impact. Gravel dug into her forearms and elbows as she struggled to free her foot from René's grasp.

With a quick twist, she managed to get her other foot from under her leg and kick out with it. What she had not expected was the adrenaline and vampire blood she had recently consumed to be behind that kick as well.

René's head snapped back and smashed into the corner of the dumpster. Sookie sat frozen when the man did not move. She was stone still, uncertain if she should check for his pulse, run back into the bar, or stay where she was until someone came. Some strained part of her mind secretly feared that if she got too close, or turned her back on him, he would rise and attack her like in the horror movies, or if she left him, he would be gone before she could return with help. So she sat motionless, staring at him, unblinking.

What felt like an hour was only a few seconds. The attack, the struggle, and even her frozen stupor had only lasted a minute. When a pair of arms wrapped around her, she tried to scream, but her broken voice could not make anything more than a rasp, and did nothing more than cause her excruciating pain that radiated all the way up to her temples.

"It's me! It's Sam! Sooks, I got ya!" Sam held her tightly because he could feel her arms trying to fight him. "I got ya. It's okay. You're okay. Nothin's gonna get ya. S'almost sunset. Eric will be here soon. Almost sunset." It was not until she heard those words that she began to cry. She did not acknowledge Sam using his cell phone to call the police. She barely even noticed him rocking her back and forth, trying at times to get her to look away from her attacker, but unable to.

Sookie had never wanted Eric as badly as she wanted him now. He was her protector, and she never wanted to leave his side ever again. Nothing wrong had happened with him. Nothing painful had happened. Even when they had found Gran dead, Eric had still spared her the pain of seeing her grandmother like that. Spared her the agony of cleaning it. Spared her the difficult task of preparing a funeral she was in no shape to plan.

Police lights were in the parking lot and Andy Bellfleur came jogging, though winded, around the bar. "What in the hell!?" He looked at Sookie, then at Sam holding her, then at René. "What the hell happened here?"

"René was the killer. He tried to strangle Sookie back here. I guess she pushed or shoved him or something. Looks like he hit his head. I ain't checked to see if he's dead or not. Pretty sure he is." Sam grimaced at the choking sound Sookie made.

"Sookie, can ya tell me what happened?" Andy asked carefully, his gruff voice trying to be soothing, but she knew Andy, and he did not do "Soothing".

Sookie tried to speak, but her voice just could not do it without sending that blinding pain to her temples each time. Instead, she showed him her throat, which Andy tried to ignore the vampire bite. He saw the bruising from the cable René had used as the EMTs called the Coroner.

"Okay, so he tried to strangle ya." Andy nodded. Sookie held out her hands with her thumbs pointed inward and then held them to her eyes, "So ya pushed on his eyes til he backed off." She flung her arms to the side, "pushed him outta the way," she pointed to the door, "and ran back for the door." Sookie was surprised how well he understood her pantomiming. "Did he hit his head when ya pushed him?" Sookie shook her head, pointed at him and grabbed her own ankle before smacking the ground with her hand, "He was on the ground, grabbed your ankle and you fell?" She nodded and then kicked out her foot. "So you kicked him in the..." She pointed to her face, "Face, and that's how he hit his head? He got pushed back from your kick and hit his head on the corner of the dumpster?" She nodded.

Sam was rubbing Sookie's shoulders throughout the whole "retelling". Like Sookie, he was impressed by the detective's ability to interpret the telepath's gesticulations. Perhaps they did not give the police detective all of the credit he was entitled to.

"Can ya come down to the station with me Sookie?" Andy held out his hand but she shook her head, tears flowing down her face even faster than before.

"Andy, can ya wait til her beau gets here? She don't feel safe without him. Especially now." Sam knew her expression. She had worn it the days just after Adele's death. That helpless look that he, regretfully, knew only Eric could take away. Sookie looked up at him and mouthed "thank you" to him. Sam just smiled down at her weakly. How had the love of his life fallen so hard and so fast for another man? It made him ache, but if Eric was what she wanted, and if Sam really loved her, he would let her have him without giving the best friend he had ever had a hard time over it.

"How bout this. Take her to your office, and get her writing a statement over what happened. I'll be back there in a second." Andy tried to be sensitive to the delicate situation, but both Sookie and Sam knew that Andy Bellfleur did not do "Sensitive" well, either. To his credit, though, at least he was trying.

"Thanks." Sam helped Sookie stand up and took her in through the backdoor. Lafayette was standing there and groaned when he saw Sookie. There were scratches all up and down her arms from the gravel, her right cheek was swelling from when she had fallen to the ground and smacked it, and the ligature marks that were already visible on her neck were becoming even more glaring as the skin beneath them slowly turned darker with the intense bruising.

"Hookuh, now dat badass boyfriend 've yours is gonna kill me."

Sookie gave him a weak, watery smile and patted his shoulder as she passed him.

"Lafayette, at first dark, you call Eric... Actually, call him now and just leave a voicemail on his phone and tell him to come here." Sam instructed and Lafayette whipped out his phone, not needing to be told twice. It was the most difficult voicemail of his life, and he had to record it three times before he managed to get as much information as he could onto the recording.

"Sit down, Cher." Sam helped her fall into his comfy desk chair, as opposed to the less comfy ones his vendors usually sat in. "Here's a pen and paper for ya." He handed her a yellow legal pad and a pen.

_Eric's been called?_She wrote.

"Yeah," Sam nodded when he read it, "he'll be here as soon as he can. I'm sure."

_Can someone call Jason?_

Sam nodded and leaned out the door to call for Lafayette. The cook came over, phone to his ear as he tried to cram as much information into Eric's voicemail as he could. When there was a long enough pause, Sam told him to let Jason know what happened, too. Lafayette just nodded and headed back down the hall.

Coming back all the way in the office, Sam saw that Sookie had written another line that would not be in her statement. At least not without a whole lot of explanation before it.

_I killed him._

Sam shook his head, "You defended yourself."

_If I didn't have Eric's blood, he might not have died._

Sam took the paper and put it in the shredder, "You can't tell anyone you've had it. K? Don't think about that, don't talk about that. Got it?" She nodded sadly.

_How did you know to come?_

"I heard you scream, but we're just gonna say I thought you were taking too long... Can't believe the damage that happened between the bar and the backdoor..."

_It all happened so fast, but it felt like forever._She gasped on a sob that hurt her throat. _Do you think it was quick for Gran?_

Sam felt his own eyes tearing, "Yeah, I'm sure it was. I, uh, saw the Coroner's report... It was quick. She would've passed out before she really felt anything." Adele's carotid had been severed on one of the first strikes, it was determined by the little bleeding the other wounds did.

_Am I gonna go to jail?_

"Nah, Sooks, it was self-defense. You'll be just fine." He smiled reassuringly.

_Arlene's gonna hate me._

"No she won't. She'll prolly be apologizing t'ya all the time when she hears." Sam was grateful Arlene had worked the lunch shift and was home now. "Now, you get writing your statement. Andy'll throw a fit if ya ain't when he gets in here."

Sookie folded the paper to the next sheet and began writing. It was much wordier than the way Andy had described it, and Sam saw her pause plenty as she tried to settle her racing heart and shaking hand.

"How's it goin' in here?" Andy asked as he came into the office.

"She's almost done." Sam assured him as Andy sat down. When she finished and tore it off the pad, Andy read it.

"Need ya to sign your name, Sookie." Andy handed it back, "Date it, too."

Sookie did as she was told before handing it back to Andy. She flipped back to the page she had been writing on and pointed out a previous question she had asked Sam.

"No, Sookie, you're not gonna be arrested." Andy smiled at her, and she heard his guilt about how he treated her, and her brother. She also saw him read her question about Gran, and could have sworn she saw a tear in his eye. "I talked to the Sheriff and he says you're fine to go about your business... Did you know that Sam has cameras in the backlot of the bar?"

Sookie shook her head, "Well, we did, and we both looked at the footage... We know what happened, Sookie. It's okay. You're not in any trouble."

She nodded slowly.

"You don't need to go to the station either." He assured her. She nodded again, "Do you want to have us drop you-" She shook her head fervently. "Okay. You can stay here then. We're gonna head out. I just need to take a coupla pictures of your injuries." He explained as he held out a camera. Sookie could not help but blush when Andy came in close and took pictures of her neck. Now Eric's marks would be in the evidence file, too. The detective also took pictures of the cuts and scrapes on her arms and the bruising on her face.

Sam thanked Andy and closed the door behind him when he was through. "You okay?" She shook her was a long silence until shrieking came from the bar. Sam and Sookie both jumped up and went running, "Now what the fuck!" Sam growled just before they made it into the main room.

Sookie had expected to see Eric, but instead, it was Bill standing there, snarling in the bar.

"What happened to Sookie!?" He demanded of Lafayette who was holding his arms out in front of the enraged vampire. The cook had an apprehensive expression, but Sookie could sense his determination.

Sookie had forgotten that she had Bill's blood before, too. Obviously, he would be able to feel and find her as well. That made her wonder, though. Why had Bill not come to see her the past week? He would have known she was back in town...

"Bill," Sam stepped forward, "you need to calm down and-"

Bill snapped his fangs at Sam and stormed over to Sookie, pushing her hair back. Somehow, though, she knew what he was looking at was not her garrotte bruise, but the fine puncture marks of Eric's fangs. Betrayal flashed in his eyes. He had known, could feel it from her the past few nights, but the evidence left him staggered. Sookie now belonged to the Viking, and there was no way he could complete his mission on his own now.

"Compton." Bill's violent eyes showed fear when he heard his name from that voice. "You will remove your hands from her right now before I remove your hands from their arms." Sookie's heart pounded when she heard Eric's voice, and for some reason his threat made her libido kick into overdrive. "Merlotte, take Sookie to your office. I will be right there." His voice was a warning of danger.

Sam did as he was told and ushered Sookie away. She managed to peak over his shoulder in time to see Eric close the distance between himself and Bill, however, she was through the door before she got to see anything else.

"I thought I told you to stay away from Sookie." Eric growled in his face. "She is not yours, and never will be."

"I had claim on her first." Bill snapped. "You contacted that which was mine without going through me!"

Eric growled at the thought of Compton claiming Sookie, "She denied your claim when you were not beside her, feeding her fear and lies!"

The patrons of Merlotte's were frozen in their seats. The gossip mill would be burning themidnightoil tonight!

"Do I need to remind you of where you stand against me?" Eric asked tumultuously. He did not expect Bill to lunge. It was foolish. It was just ridiculous!

Eric turned away from the attack, caught Bill by the back of his neck and slammed him into the floor. There were many shrieks from the humans, but Eric disregarded them. They could be glamoured.

"Give me a reason, Bill. Give me a fucking reason to rip your head off right now." Eric snarled.

"The Queen-"

"You are banned from my area." Eric spoke before Bill could utter a potential edict from the Queen. He released him and rose to his full height, "You have attacked a Sheriff and disregarded a direct order from me. Gather up your belongings and be out of my area before dawn."

"You can't-"

"I_can_." Eric snarled, "Do not pretend for a second that I do not see the strings connecting these series of events." The Viking pushed his hand harder into Bill's neck, squishing his face painfully to the floor, "You think that you are so clever, when_Sookie_is not completely unaware of what you have been doing. She suspects you, Billy. She_knows_, and without any help from me, she has seen your true colors." Leaning into the other vampire's ear, Eric rumbled, "Now go, before I tell this whole town what you are."

Bill was out of the bar at vampire speed, and Eric turned to the patrons, glamouring the incident from their memories. While they were all still dazed, Eric went to the office Sookie was in.

"Lover." Eric sighed, a breath of relief, as he knelt in front of her from where she sat once more in Sam's desk chair. He took her hands in his cool ones, bringing them to his lips to kiss and hold to his face. Once he had kissed both of her hands again, he went about inspecting the cuts and scrapes on her arms and hands from when she had fallen. He had yet to meet her eyes. Failure was coursing throughout his entire being, and he needed another moment to be able to face her disappointment.

From the second he had risen, Eric knew that Sookie was in danger. She had been on edge most of the late afternoon, and he had witnessed the attack through her emotions. The vampire had ignored his cell phone ringing, at first. He could not bare to hear the results of whatever had caused Sookie's paralyzing terror. Not until he was on his way and could actually help her.

She was alive. That was the only thought he could focus on until he was within arm's reach of her. Any other detail would crumble his stony exterior. Thoughts of her mangled and disfigured, crippled or paralyzed, were haunting his visions of Sookie. He tried to bleach the images from his mind, remembering her defiant eyes and stern features from their last interactions. Enjoying, for the first time, the anger she had for him! Any emotion he had felt from her was better than this disabling terror that swam her veins up until now.

Sam stood in the corner unnoticed, or disregarded. He could not tell which at first. But when he saw blood rimming the vampire's eyes, he knew that Eric just had not given enough of a fuck to notice the Shifter.

"Lover, why are you so quiet?" He asked, finally looking up, a pained expression shattering in his gaze when he saw the damage to her face. Sookie ran her hands gently down her throat and Eric made a sound akin to a snarl, but there was agony within it.

Sam shifted uncomfortably at the sound and Eric finally noticed his presence. The look on his face spoke volumes more than Sam needed to hear.

"No one can know." Eric whispered to him uncomfortably, and Sam nodded. Sookie looked between the two of them worriedly. What could no one know!? "Sookie, will you take my blood?" Eric asked in a hurried whisper.

She bit her lip for a moment before nodding. Sam turned his back as Eric ripped open his arm and held it to Sookie. She took a couple of deep draws from the wound before Eric pulled it away from her. Sam grimaced at the noise of objection she made.

It only took a moment before Sookie could manage to speak again, "Eric, take me home?" She whimpered quietly.

Eric was heartbroken that she would not be coming back to Shreveport with him, but nodded. "Thank you, Merlotte." He lifted Sookie into his arms. "This did not turn out the way I had hoped... But Sookie is alive, and I will take care of her from here."

Sam remained silent, not feeling like he deserved any thanks. He felt as much a failure as Eric. Even more so, for he had been less than fifty feet away when it happened.

Eric walked out the back door of Merlotte's and grimaced when he saw Sookie curl her face away from the scene of the crime. Tucking her head into his shoulder, Eric took to the air and began heading towards the farmhouse. When they landed Sookie looked up at him in confusion.

"What is wrong?" Eric asked worriedly.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked just as worriedly. Did Eric not_want_her to be around him now? Was he angry from last week still?

"You said to bring you home." He replied.

Sookie blushed. She had only spent one night at Eric's house, and she had just referred to it as "home".

"Umm, I meant to say, can I come home with you?" She whispered meekly.

Eric's soul lifted at her confession, he was again in the air, holding Sookie tightly as he sped off to his Shreveport home. When they landed once again, Sookie clung to him, not wanting him to let her go.

"I have you, Sookie." Eric reassured her as he easily opened the door to the house and took her inside. After disengaging the alarm, he settled himself and Sookie on the couch in the den. "Please, tell me what happened." He requested quietly.

Sookie slowly retold the story of how she went to Merlotte's, and eventually wound up helping on the floor. When she finished, she turned pleading eyes on Eric, "Lafayette and Sam did_everything_right. They kept me nearby and watched me... Only, we all got so into our usual groove that none of us thought much about it when I went to take out the trash... I'm so sorry. If I hadn't fallen into my old pattern-"

"Sookie," Eric hushed her, "you are safe now. I could not expect Merlotte or Reynolds to remain by your side at every second. Neither one are professional bodyguards, after all. They do not think like that. You are correct. They did do everything right, to their level of knowledge and experience. How were any of you to know that the killer would step outside of his comfort zone, and attack you in a public setting when everyone else was attacked in their home? Do not fret, Little One. I am not angry at them, at anyone." Sookie's heart swelled when he called her Little One. The endearment made her feel so safe and protected, as if he were a mountain surrounding her, and she was a small basin that was untouchable.

"Not even after last week?" She asked sullenly.

"I was never angry at you last week. Only myself." Eric smiled at her, nipping her chin up so that he could kiss her.

"Then why didn't you try and call me?" She cried desperately.

The vampire took a moment to respond, "I am unaccustomed with... _tact_." He admitted slowly, "I do not understand the best ways to carefully explain delicate matters. I believed that my explanations would only anger you further, and I thought you would be better off coming to an understanding yourself. Also, I though you might have come to work at Fangtasia too soon after your grandmother's passing. You will not like that I made the decision for you, but I believed you needed time away from me. Away from vampires. I put Reynolds on your shadow, and I left you to yourself."

"You're right." Sookie nodded, "I don't like that you made that decision for me." Eric gazed at her steadily, sensing she was about to say more, "But it doesn't mean you were wrong." She finally admitted.

"I was wrong last week, though. I tested your dedication, even if it was unintentional." Eric told her.

"Actually, I have something to say about that... And after tonight, I believe it even more." Sookie sighed.

"What is that?" Eric asked.

"I think... I_know_, now, that I've been holding you to a higher standard than anyone else. You've had centuries of doing things your own way, as you please, and for me to walk into your life and start tweaking your system... Well, it seems unreasonable to think that there wouldn't be hiccups along the way, right? You're a vampire. And you've had to spend a millennium pretending not to be one. Now you've had a couple years where you didn't have to hide it. You've built a new pattern, but you still have dishes and toilet paper. You didn't break those habits yet, and I shouldn't have expected you to be able to break any others in a measly week. So, I'm sorry. And I still trust you and believe that you will keep me safe."

"Sookie," Eric used all of his resolve not to let his voice waver, "I failed to protect you."

"No you didn't-"

"The bruises you wore earlier say differently." Eric reminded her.

"If I hadn't been such a jerk the other night, I would have come home with you and this never would have happened." Sookie pointed out. "I could have waited til sunset to come visit Bon Temps with_you_. When I'm with you I_am_safe. That only got proved loudly tonight... But... I have a question. How long will Bill be able to track me? He showed up tonight because he could feel me, right?"

"Only another month, hopefully. Since I do not know the quantity of his blood that you ingested, it is difficult to say. However, because of his age, the effects should not last longer than three or four months if it was a lot."

"I think it was a lot..." Sookie grimaced, "Wait... So he can feel me like you can?"

"To a degree. It will not be as strong for him." Eric told her.

"So... Does he know when we're having sex?"

"More than likely. Since your body experiences many powerful emotions and physical sensations, he is more likely to be able to sense that, even with a greater distance than if you were just sitting around knitting." Eric eyed her worriedly, "Does that bother you?"

Sookie felt a very inappropriate pleasure knowing that she could torture Bill by doing her favorite person in the whole world, "Actually, I like it." Eric raised an eyebrow at her, "It means I can piss him off by enjoying myself." She laughed.

Eric shook his head amusedly. His Sookie was definitely capable of being quite the mental torturer.

"Sadistic Sookie. I have not met her." He laughed before turning somber, "But I have ordered Bill out of Area 5 for disregarding orders and attacking a Sheriff. The greater distance between you, the less able he is to feel and track you." He assured.

"Just burst my bubble." She huffed playfully.

Eric's mood shifted quickly, "Sookie, there is something I need to talk to you about. I am surprised you have not brought it up." She raised her eyebrows at him as he was prone to doing to her. "You killed a man tonight, Sookie."

"It was self-defense."

"A man is still dead. How does that make you feel?" He asked.

"What? Are you my therapist now? Should I lie down?" She gave his shoulder a little, playful punch.

"Sookie, despite your lighthearted banter and your absolutely marvelous ability to divert your mind from what is bothering you, I can still feel it pushed deeply into your emotions." He told her.

"What do you want me to say?" Sookie shrugged, "I'm conflicted. I'm scared. I'm afraid of what else I'm capable of. I'm scared that..."

"That?"

"Now that I've killed one person... That it will be easier if it happens again. I mean, the life I'll be leading now will have intrigue and danger. Vampires aren't really a safe haven from corpses piling up." She told him, "What if I stop minding that others are dying? What if I don't mind when you kill my Uncle?"

"When?" Eric was surprised.

"I can stop you from doing very little, Eric." She looked at him seriously, "And... I already told you I wouldn't leave you if you did. If you haven't done it already, I know it's only a matter of time."

"Your uncle is dead. I killed him after you left the other night. Admittedly, after you left, I was very angry at myself and it seemed as good a time as any." Eric told her flatly. Sookie did not even have the motivation to flinch. "Did you know that he raped your cousin as well?" Her head snapped up, "And your Aunt Linda when she was a girl?" Sookie gasped for air. "Do you want to know why?" Tears streamed down Sookie's cheeks, "Because you all reminded him of his sister. The one little girl he never got to hurt. The only one he could not."

"Thank you." Sookie whispered. "I always wondered who "she" was. I never knew what Gran looked like when she was little. But Bartlett always thought, things like "she has her hair... She has her nose". I'm sure if I cut up pictures of us all, I could make Gran's face, but I never saw it back then..."

"You will never be okay with killing, Sookie." Eric told her. "You will always regret and wish things could be different."

"How can you know that?" She looked at him hopefully, wanting him to have a real answer to back up his claim- to make it true.

"I have known many people in my time, Sookie. There are some things that you can tell about a person. It is not a weakness to take death seriously. And I will never look down on your kind heart. You are a woman who wants everyone to be safe and happy. I am a vampire who only wants my bloodline to be safe and happy."

Sookie deflated, "So, I'm-"

"The one I want to make part of my bloodline."

Sookie froze, "You want to bring me over..?"

"More than you can possibly understand." Eric's voice was shaky. "Because five, ten, even more than a thousand years from now, you are the one that can make me happy."

**TBC**

**PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW, EVERYBODY!**

**-ANDI**


	10. Chapter 10

Trouble Maker

_A/N: Hey, everybody, quickly updating before bedtime. It is so weird being tired already, especially with all of the coffee I have had today! Anyway, thanks, as always, to __**Nerdygirl**__ for the editing! Heads up: I am not positive if there will be an update next week. It is unlikely that there will be an interruption, but I am having schedule conflicts with my writing time, and a big continuity error that refuses to resolve itself! Again, we will see. Hopefully, the worst case scenario is it will be a little late._

_-Andi_

**Chapter Ten: Vampire Q&A**

Sookie awoke the next afternoon pleasantly sore from copious amounts of naked, 6'5", vampire wrestling. She had not agreed to being turned, but Eric's words, a beautiful reflection of the words she had spoken to him the night of their fight, had made her heart soar with happiness.

For the first time ever, she felt genuinely loved.

Not the family love that almost everyone had the pleasantness to enjoy. That love was wonderful, but it was a "despite" love. The "I love you, despite the fact you can read my mind and piss me off by doing so", or "I love you, despite the fact that I've had to dutifully ignore your differences".

Eric had not said he loved her, but she had felt it, with every fiber of her being and every inhalation of his scent that she breathed in.

Before crawling out of bed to clean up in the "heaven shower", Sookie leaned over Eric's dead body and kissed him as passionately as someone could kiss a cold, unmoving corpse.

Once she was in the shower, Sookie washed herself and shaved; her skin especially smooth and flawless from her most recent dose of Eric's blood. Once she was out, she dressed in a pair of skin tight jeans, and a wraparound blouse that was a deep red. She knew how Eric liked her in red. Blue was his second favorite it "made her eyes glow like illuminated pools of crystal clear water". His words, not hers. Though he did not have a poetic statement when she wore something red, his eyes spoke volumes. His ocean blue eyes watched her every movement like she were performing a striptease for him all night up until he could finally have her naked in his bed. At least that was the feeling she got from him the first night at Fangtasia. She shuddered as the thought caused her lower bits to tingle.

Sookie did not need to bother with make-up, and her hair was bright and shiny. Overall, Sookie knew she looked _good,_and she could not wait to look that way on Eric's arm.

After she was dressed, the telepath grabbed a snack to tide her over until Eric could take her to dinner. There was nothing in the house that Sookie could allow herself to call a meal, but at least it was enough to keep her stomach from talking to her.

Skipping back to the master bedroom, Sookie went back into the adjoined bathroom to brush her teeth before Eric would rise.

"Mmm, where is my lover?" Eric asked from the bed, running his hand over the spot she had vacated earlier. Sookie smiled and went back to the bedroom. She crawled back onto the bed and let Eric wrap her up in his arms. "There she is..." Eric kissed her face, making her giggle.

"Eric, there's something I wanted to ask you last night before you distracted me with bone melting words." Sookie returned a kiss that managed to grace her lips.

"Yes?"

"What did you mean last night... When you said to Sam, "No one can know."? What did you mean by that?" She asked quietly.

Eric opened his eyes at last to look into her own, "No one can know that you are my weakness. The things they would do to you to destroy me... They are incomprehensible." He whispered.

Sookie swallowed hard, but not from the threat of unimaginable pain and violence. She was stunned with the admission. Eric was saying he had a weakness, and that weakness was her.

"There is something I wanted to discuss with you as well."

"Yes?" She mimicked his response whenever she made such statements.

"Do you remember what I told you about exchanging blood three times with the same vampire?"

"Yeah, you said it can create a bond between the human and the vampire." She nodded, remembering. "They'd be able to feel each other even if they're far apart, and the emotional link would go both ways instead of just the vampire knowing what was up with the human. And something about being a legal mate..?"

"Yes, as well as affect their emotions. They can send to each other intentionally." Eric was glad that she remembered, "There is a bit more about it that I wanted to talk to you about." She nodded for him to continue, "You see, when a vampire bonds with a human, it is understood that they are more than likely going to turn that human into vampire at some point. Most did so shortly after the bonding, but sometimes they waited a few years. There have been two cases where the human was never turned."

"How many cases are there?" Sookie asked.

"Let me put it this way. You know my age. I have only witnessed two honored bonds in my existence. Godric, who is twice my age, has witnessed five. The two I witnessed are the cases when the humans were not turned."

"Woah, not a very good turn out." Sookie grimaced.

"When the human is brought over and becomes Vampire, the link between Maker and Child is not like what I have with Pam or Godric has with me. They must learn to function as a whole, not as individuals. Bonding is a sacrifice of independence in exchange for a love that can only be severed by, presumably, true death. As I have never met the true death, nor been bonded, I cannot claim that it even ends then."

Sookie was riding a girlish wave of fantastic romance, but she had a feeling her boat was about to be flipped.

"Bonding can be dangerous, though, because for all the love between them, if they cannot accept this sacrifice they will perish." Sookie gulped, "It is not something to be entered into lightly."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Sookie asked quietly.

"I am telling you because we have shared blood twice now. It was foolish of me to give you my blood for something that would have healed by itself. Something not life threatening. But to see you in pain... And too not be able to hear your voice... I turned away from my better judgement." He admitted shamefully. "I need you to take time and genuinely think about this. Not half-heartedly, not in a romanticized fashion, because, Sookie, if you choose to bond with me, I will be adamant that you allow me to bring you over at some point." He looked down at her face and reveled at her beauty, "Because I will never be able to exist without you after that. I do not know if I could now."

"So, how exactly does the bond work?" Sookie asked after recovering from his smoldering gaze.

"Having never experienced it, I can only speculate. I do know that as your Maker, I would have control over you. However, since you would be a Bonded Child, I cannot be certain that that control would be absolute or permanent." He told her, "Although, I believe it would be."

"What do you mean "control"? You'd be able to make me do things?" Sookie asked, not liking the sound of that at all.

Eric tilted his head, thinking of the best way to phrase it, "Simply put: Yes. I would be able to make you do whatever I wished." Sookie was quickly cooling off on the idea. "But, you must understand that I would have to deal with the consequences of abusing that ability."

"How do you mean?"

"Hmm... What would be the worst thing I could force you to do?" Eric asked her.

"Make me kill someone." She said instantly.

"All right, suppose I used my role as your Maker to force you to kill someone. How would you feel?" Eric asked.

"Horrible. Upset... Manipulated. Regretful. Hatred. I... I don't think I'd be able to trust you ever again." She admitted sadly.

"And with our Bond, I would have to feel your distrust and hatred towards me first hand. I would have to exist forever feeling like the most hated and despised creature in existence without any reprieve from it." Eric explained to her, "I will not lie. I will use the role as your Maker to control you in the beginning, for both of our safety, if you choose to Bond with me. I will use my ability to influence your emotions as well. But you have to trust that I would only do these things to keep you safe. As I have done for Pam, and as Godric did for me." Eric said this as if he were swearing an oath.

After thinking for a long time about this, Sookie decided that it was too much too soon to consider, "Can I ask you a question? It's moving on, not the same exact topic, but it's Bond related."

"Of course." Eric murmured.

"What would happen if one of us died? Like the final death died." Her voice was so quiet that Eric needed to use his vampire hearing.

"The other would probably meet the sun." He admitted. "Even my Maker's order would be hard pressed to stop me, from what I understand, and you would be without a Maker to stop you." He paused for a moment, "And that said. If you should choose this, I would want to take you to meet Godric beforehand. As my Maker I owe him the opportunity to meet the one I am putting my existence in the hands of."

Sookie nodded. "I'll never be able to have kids if I stay with you." It was not a question.

"No, you will not." He agreed, but was surprised at the lack of emotional response that brought to her.

"I'll never get to sunbathe again." She thought for a moment and realized she had not sunbathed in a while since her days were mostly spent sleeping. "Will I still get to see my friends and family if they wanted to see me?" She asked.

"I would need to be present, especially your first year. It is a turbulent time for newborns. They are quite enslaved to their impulses and emotions. It would be for their safety. This is where my using my Maker's command would be necessary." He explained.

"I will think about it. I genuinely will. Is it okay if I talk to them about it? I mean, it's my decision, but I don't want to just walk up to them out of the blue and say, "Hey, I'm gonna go get bonded to Eric and I'll be a vampire in a few years"." She grimaced at thinking about how Jason would take that.

"I know how important your friends and family are, however, be careful about the details you disclose. Your brother is particularly untrustworthy with sensitive information." Eric warned her.

"Understood." She looked at him a moment, "Eric, what if I lose my telepathy?"

"I will still have you." Eric smiled, "You are what I want."

"What if I can hear vampires afterwards?" She was breathless.

"Then you and I will guard that secret for eternity." He was still smiling.

"But you said if I could ever read vampires then-"

"Sookie," Eric pressed a finger to her lips, "the only fear I have of you being able to read my thoughts now, is that they will send you screaming for the hills. My bonded and I would have no secrets. Anything you wish to know, you need only ask."

"After a couple weeks, you're already so sure-"

"Remember, Sookie, I have been around a long time. I know my own mind, and I know when I have found something I want to hold onto forever. Or some_one_I want to hold forever. Over a thousand years I have made one Child. Do you think me that fickle?" He chuckled and Sookie smiled.

"But I'm still so young." She whispered, "I don't know my mind like you know yours."

Eric was surprised, but not unpleasantly so, "You are young, and you have so much to learn, but Sookie, you do know your own mind quite well already. There are things you have yet to experience, but that does not mean that experiencing them with me would keep you from growing and evolving. And the parts that you are still uncertain about? Well, you will have to think about how well you trust in my love for you."

"You love me?" Sookie's eyes watered. She had felt like she knew this already, but to hear him say it raised her heart into her throat.

Eric laughed lightly, "I am talking about bonding to you for the remainder of eternity, and you ask if I love you. Oh, Sookie, you cannot begin to fathom that love." He kissed her throat, "Not yet, anyway."

Sookie frowned, "Don't you want to know if I feel the same way towards you?"

Eric tilted his head slightly as he looked at her, "I can feel you, Sookie. I will always soar when I hear the words from you, but I would rather the first time I hear them from your lips be in a moment of passion or a situation where all you can think about is your love for me. Not a response to my own declaration." Pressing his forehead to hers, Eric kissed her nose, "I want to hear how you would say those words, or when you would say those words without prompting. Yes, that would be a most enjoyable feeling."

Leaning into his lips, Sookie reached up and finger combed Eric's bed hair back. He purred delightedly as she stroked the long strands, curling them around her fingertips.

"Do we have plans tonight?" Sookie whispered against his cheek as the vampire kept his eyes closed, enjoying her playing with his hair.

"Not really." He purred as her fingertips ran across his scalp, "We can do whatever we like. However, I will need to stop by Fangtasia long enough to deal with Long Shadow."

"Oh, I thought you would have taken care of that by now." Sookie was surprised.

"I had begun. I contacted the Magister as well as Long Shadow's Maker. They will be arriving this evening to discuss his sentence. He is currently silvered in a coffin in Fangtasia's basement." Eric explained.

"Woah, sucks to be him. What's a Magister?"

"You could consider him a judge. Usually when a Sheriff is involved in a dispute with an underling that he wishes to exact final death or transact large sums for financial reimbursements or compensation, we contact that underling's Maker, if they still exist, and the Magister. He decides punishments. The Maker is given the opportunity to take their Child's punishment themselves, but ultimately, they are there out of respect that no action against their Child is taken without their knowledge. This is especially important if final death is under discussion. The Magister is also called when old or ancient vampires are involved. You must realize that not all Sheriffs or Kings and Queens are the oldest in their realms. I am the oldest vampire in Louisiana. I am also older than the Magister. Therefore, when dealing with someone around my age or older, it is necessary to bring in the Magister for his "impartial" rulings." Eric's long explanation confused Sookie a little more than resolving her inquiry.

"Why are people of such high power not always the oldest? Why aren't_you_King of Louisiana?" Sookie asked curiously.

"Most of us do not want the position. The older vampires usually take positions of Sheriff. It gives us more authority than most, but less responsibility. Also, it is a less politically involved position. However, working for the brat Sophie-Ann is almost worth dealing with the politics." He sighed.

"She's really that bad?" Sookie grimaced.

"She is a spoiled child." Eric spat, "She exists to make everyone else's existences miserable until she gets her way, but she always needs more, wants more, and so few are ever truly content."

"Sounds like she had it rough." Sookie sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Eric looked at her disbelieving.

"Well, usually when people want more and more, it's because they either had nothing, or because they've always had everything, but never what they needed." Sookie told him.

"I am still not following." Eric admitted.

"Well... If you never had anything, friends, family, someone to love you, and you never had any possessions for a long, long time- there's a void inside you. And since you've never had these things, you have no idea what to fill that void up with. You don't know how to make the emptiness stop hurting." Sookie tried her hardest to explain her view, "So you fill it with people, but you don't know how to treat them 'cause you never had someone treating you good. You try and fill it with things, but they don't offer the emotional connection that you truly want and need. Social interactions are the keystone to a healthy mind and ability to consider ramifications of your decisions based on something other than yourself. If all you think about is_you_, then how can you make anyone else happy? And if you're never happy, how can anyone stand to be around you?"

"So, you believe that Sophie-Ann is such a spoiled brat because either in her human life, or early in her younger vampire years, she was never socially adjusted?" Eric's eyebrows rose.

"That's my guess." Sookie shrugged, "I've never met her, and I doubt she'd start telling me the story of her whole existence, but from what I've learned about people those two extremes are wonderful breeding grounds for spoiled children and socially inept adults."

Eric smirked at her, "And you Ms. Stackhouse, who grew up poor and a social outcast, how did you come out such a caring and beautiful woman?"

Sookie smiled, "I had a wonderful, Southern lady raise me up. Someone who didn't think that my quirk was an excuse for a bad attitude. I think the best thing Gran did was treat me like anyone else. She didn't coddle me, and she didn't spoil me rotten to try and make me feel better. She always said if someone was being mean or thinking mean things 'bout me, to kill them with sugar."

Eric frowned, "Are diabetics notoriously mean spirited?"

Sookie stared at her lover for a brief moment before bursting out laughing, "Oh, no, Eric!" She laughed so hard she could not breathe. It was not until she saw Eric's displeased expression that she calmed down, "It's an expression. When you kill someone with sugar, it means to be nice to them and win them over. Y'know, be sweet to someone?"

"Ah." Eric nodded, and now found his question humorous as well.

Sookie sat up in the bed and looked down at her still naked lover, "I was thinking. Would we be able to discuss this over dinner some more? I'm startin' to get a little hungry, but would it be possible to discuss something like this in such a public place?"

"It would be better if we did not." Eric frowned, "This is a very sensitive topic, and I would prefer we not discuss it anywhere but my home. If others were to overhear that I intend to Bond with you, even if you choose not to- they could recognize you as my weakness and attack." Sookie nodded in understanding.

"What about me wanting to talk about it with my family and friends?" Sookie reminded him.

Eric thought for a moment, "I understand that you want their support, but... I would prefer that you not broach the subject with anyone until you have made_your_decision. I do know a few things about you, Sookie. When your decision is not made, others have the ability to sway you. Until you have resolved this topic with yourself, you will be at the mercy of their whims. I am not saying this makes you easily manipulated. I only mean to point out that you are very accommodating when you do not have a personal opinion."

Sookie felt a brief surge of annoyance until he said that last part. It made her contemplate his observation, and to her surprise, she found it rather accurate. "Can't argue with that." She muttered.

With a chuckle and shake of his head, Eric got off of the bed and went to pick out his attire for the evening. Sookie did not follow him to the bathroom, knowing she would not be able to resist a hot, wet Viking. She would not say that it was easy being around him when he was naked, only that he was so laid back with nudity that he did not draw attention to the fact. However, the shower added sensuality without his slightest effort, and therefore was a no fly zone for the squeaky clean telepath.

When Eric returned, he quickly dressed and held a hand out for Sookie so that she could easily rise off of the bed. "Where would you like me to take you to dinner?" He asked.

Sookie shrugged, "Just Chili's or something would be fine. I'd eat here, but..."

"Yes, we really do need to supplement your food sources. They are quite sparse." Eric agreed, "How about this. I will take you to a restaurant for something to eat, and then we shall go to the grocer's to pick out some more food. You seem to want to spend more time here..?"

"That sounds perfect, but I don't want you driving back and forth all night. You still gotta take care of things with Long Shadow, right?" She pressed.

"It is no bother. The Magister will not be arriving until closer tomidnight. We have plenty of time." Eric assured.

"Okay." Sookie took his hand as they went across the house to the front door. Eric handed her the small clutch she had been carrying the past few days and frowned, "What?" She asked of his expression.

"Do you not own another handbag?" He asked.

"Oh, well, I do, but it's huge 'cause I carried all my stuff in it for work. Y'know, pens, apron, a clean work shirt, deodorant. That kinda stuff. This is my nice, out and having fun purse." She explained.

"I see." Eric said nothing more on the topic and opened the front door for her. Instead, he considered his Child's obsession with purses, realizing how unnecessary it was to have so many.

The drive to the restaurant was uneventful, and it was not until they were seated and Sookie had a drink in front of her that Eric began a new conversation.

"Sookie, I was thinking about your Gran's home." Sookie looked up from her menu at him, "For the time being, while you decide what you would like to do in regards to it, I was thinking that we would seal it, set up a security system, and arm it. That way it would have some protection, but still be accessible should you decide to return there periodically."

"That seems like a good idea. I was planning on asking Tara if she wanted to live there, but, to be honest, I haven't seen her since Gran's funeral." She told him.

"Have you tried contacting her recently?" Sookie bit her lip guiltily, "Sookie?"

"To be honest... I've mostly only been seeing you and whoever comes to Fangtasia all last week. Then, after our fight, I just wanted to shut myself in and think about everything that's been happening..." She admitted, "Guess I got kinda wrapped up in my new job and... With you." Eric smiled with a twinge of delight, but he also regretted that Sookie was quickly being torn from her old life. He did not want her having regrets, nor did he want her to blame him for her severed connections.

"I think you should try and spend some time in Bon Temps this week, actually among the people." He said firmly. "I would certainly feel responsible if you were to withdraw from your friends and family like this."

"Well, I don't have a car right now."

"Ah, we should stop by and pick it up-"

"We can't... Well, we could, but it's got a flat and the spare's been slashed." Sookie told him.

"What? How did that happen?"

"René, I'm pretty sure. I think he sabotaged my car so he could give me a ride home." She explained, "I never got a chance to confirm it, but he was there when I was leaving and found my car like that. He tried twice to drive me home. I didn't think anything of it at the time, 'cause he said he'd popped back over to check on Arlene's car 'cause it'd been leakin' oil."

"I am very glad you did not go with him." Eric murmured. He had wondered why Sookie had been stranded at Merlotte's. It seemed that with all of the goings on that evening, everyone forgot to explain just why she was there. They were all too busy explaining why she had been allowed to walk out the back door alone and be attacked. Eric figured that Sookie had gone later in the afternoon, lost track of time, and eventually just started working alongside her former co-workers while they talked and joked.

"You can thank Sam and Lafayette for that." She grinned wryly. "I went back into the bar to tell Sam what happened, and he offered to give me a ride home. That's when Laf called him over and told him that I should either stay at the bar or that Sam should stay with me 'til you rose and could be with me."

Eric nodded slowly and began to ponder all of this new information while Sookie continued to look at the menu. When the waiter returned, she ordered a plate of chicken parmesan and watched him patiently as he thought. As he felt a growing curiosity rising in her, he blinked once and smiled at her.

"I am quite pleased with your friends' actions last night." He finally stated, "They did a better job than I originally thought."

"I'm glad you see it that way, 'cause I wouldn't have thought twice about havin' René drive me home." She admitted.

"Why is that?" Eric was surprised.

"'Cause he was one of Jason's friends. I never woulda thought Hoyt, or Catfish, or René could hurt me, 'cause it would've hurt Jason." She told him.

"I see." That was all Eric said for a while longer.

"Eric?"

"Yes?"

"Does your hair grow?" She asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Well, I was just thinking, that since you were a Viking, shouldn't you have a big, bushy beard?" She giggled.

Eric smiled lightly, "I was a warrior, Sookie. During battle, we tended to thin them out, trim them, or sometimes, which was my case, remove them completely. You can see that my facial hair is not quite even. I do shave it smooth from time to time, but this must be done every evening if I wish to maintain it, for our hair grows back to exactly where we had it when we were turned."

"Does that mean Pam has to shave every time she rises?" Sookie made a sympathetic face at this revelation, "That has to suck."

"We are quite quick at it by now, and do not suffer from skin irritation, making it a simple process." Eric chuckled.

Sookie shrugged at that, "So if you cut your hair, right now, it would be back to normal by the time you rose tomorrownight?"

"That is correct." Eric nodded. "However, with age, the magic of our bodies comes more under our control, and we are able to repress some of the regrowth so that we may alter our appearance for extended periods of time if we wish to. However, we cannot make our hair or nails grow beyond the point they were at our turning."

"That's cool!" She giggled, "If I decide to come over, I think I'd want to wait 'til my hair's a little longer. Y'know, 'cause I could always go shorter for a day, but I wouldn't be able to go longer without extensions or a wig." She clapped her hands over her mouth. She was not supposed to talk about that.

"You may broach that topic, Sookie. It is the other stuff that must remain quiet." He assured her, "I actually like that you are asking me questions like this. It will give you a clearer understanding of what to expect, should you choose the path."

There was another question Sookie wanted to ask, but she stored it away for later. She had a feeling that if the answer was not "Yes", it could cause a problem if they were overheard. "What about dying your hair?"

"The same. As we rest, our bodies reject the chemicals and the color melts away. It is always best that we shave our heads before we rest if we were to color our hair because the chemicals and pigments seep off and will pool or stain beneath us on what we lie on."

"What happens to the hair you cut off?"

"It turns to ash at sunrise. It does not combust, it only disintegrates."

Sookie's chicken came at that moment, effectively causing a reprieve from Vampire Q&A. Eric watched curiously as Sookie ate, wondering how she managed to devour the meal so quickly, but still manage to keep all of the marinara sauce off of her face. It made him wonder if she would be able to minimize the blood smear on her lips and face when she fed as a vampire.

"You are quite a clean eater." Eric commented.

"Chalk it up to good ol' Southern manners." Sookie giggled once she had swallowed her food. Eric smiled at that, "Eric, if I came over, would you miss being able to feed off of me?"

Eric was thoughtful, "In some respects, yes, in others no."

"Could you elaborate?" Sookie asked.

"You do taste remarkably good. I would miss the flavor, but your blood is not why I enjoy spending time with you. Bringing you over would be worth more than all of the blood you could produce in a lifetime for me. So, the answer is more of a no than a yes." Eric paused, "But we are breaching into sensitive territory. Perhaps you could ask me more questions related to being a vampire, than about you possibly becoming one."

Sookie nodded and took a sip of her drink, "So, do you decide when your fangs pop out, or will they do it on their own sometimes?"

Eric leered at her, "Did you not notice the first time you came to Fangtasia that every pair of fangs sprang to attention as you passed by?"

"I thought it was just a tourist thing." Sookie squeaked.

"If we popped our fangs every time a human walked by, all you would hear all night was the clicking of them retracting and elongating." He chuckled.

"So y'all do that when someone smells tasty?" She queried.

"Or when we are aroused, threatened, angry, threatening... There is a long list of reasons we do it instinctively. Of course before the Reveal, we were much better about controlling that instinct. Over the past few years, though, we have become lax about hiding our fangs. It is still good to be able to control them, because they come off as threatening no matter what drove them to appear. In Fangtasia, however, it is our motto to flash fang whenever possible." Sookie giggled, "Newborns have the least control of their fangs, and the hardest time retracting them."

"Why's that?"

"You remember how I told you that newborns are very emotional and easily excitable?" She nodded, "Because of this, they are easily threatened. When you feel that way, your first response is to send the threat right back. It is like how a cat will hiss, or a dog will bark. It is used as a dissuasive measure. Also, the increase in libido prompts newborns to become aroused very easily, and that is a very compelling reason to unleash our fangs."

"Was it scary when you were first turned? Like, dying for the day and stuff?" Sookie asked.

"It was concerning. The pull of the sun would make me anxious for a while. Godric would talk with me until I went to rest as a distraction my first few nights." Eric explained, "With you, I would pleasure you until you went to rest." He purred, "You would not even notice." Sookie blushed deeply at that, "It was rising those first few nights that were the most disorienting. Vampires almost never dream, and therefore it felt like you blinked and suddenly it was the next evening. We rise, already alert, and prepared for the evening."

"Ha, no need for coffee." Sookie smirked.

The vampire smiled at her as she cleaned off the side dish of her meal. The waiter came by with the bill when he saw her finish.

"So, grocery store next?" Eric asked. "We can continue our interrogation in the car."

Sookie grinned and accepted his arm as they left the restaurant. She did not say anything about the fact that he had slipped a $100 bill in the black book and not bothered to stick around for change. She could hear the waiter's elation inside his head before they left, though.

As they were driving, Sookie asked, "Is it okay to ask a "sensitive" question in the car."

"It is."

"Can vampires actually survive on True Blood?" She asked, finally getting to ask the question she had held back in the restaurant.

"Yes, but not newborns." Eric told her. "They need real blood their first year."

"Oh." Sookie deflated.

"There are plenty of willing people out there, Sookie." Eric assured her, "You would not be taking anything against their will. Besides," he glanced at her long enough to make a point, but not so long that it made her uncomfortable since he was driving, "even if you_could_survive on True Blood, I would still make you feed on humans as well."

"_Make_me?" Sookie's eyebrows rose.

"If you tried to argue out of it- yes. I would make you." Eric told her. "It is important that you learn how to feed without doing unnecessary harm, or potentially killing someone. Should you become wounded or stranded somewhere that you could not procure-"

"Please never say the word "procure" again. It's a sore spot with me." Sookie groaned. That word reminded her about how Bill had come to abduct her and deliver her as a gift to the Queen.

Eric would have smirked if the same thought did not still piss him off, "Ah, very true. My apologies." He smiled gently at her, "If you could not... Obtain? True Blood, and were forced to feed off of a human, then you will need to be prepared for that. Besides, if you become vampire, you will quickly realize the differences between synthetic and_true_blood."

Sookie laughed hard at the pun. "You're such a dork."

Eric raised an eyebrow at her. "A dork." He repeated, and she flinched at his monotone voice.

"Sorry, I just meant that-"

"Do not apologize, Sookie. I know that you were teasing and not actually insulting me. However, I can honestly say that no one has ever called me that." Eric shook his head, but she could see an amused upturn in the corner of his lips. "I would suggest that you keep remarks like that between you and me, though."

"Well,_yeah_." Sookie rolled her eyes playfully, "I'd never call you names in front of other vamps, or employees... Well, maybe "Pain in the ass"."

"I can accept that one." Eric chuckled, "In front of Pam. Even your friends Lafayette and Merlotte."

"Deal."

**TBC**

**A/N: SORRY ABOUT THE SEEMINGLY ABRUPT ENDING, BUT THE CHAPTER WAS GETTING A LITTLE LONG! PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**

**-ANDI**


	11. Chapter 11

Trouble Maker

_A/N: Hi, everyone. I have some disconcerting news, I am sorry to say. I will be taking a few weeks off from posting. Currently I am working my full time job, putting in my hours for my apprenticeship, and am renovating a house. Not to make excuses, but I just wanted to let you know that it is not a matter of laziness, or lack of inspiration. I am, literally, devoid of extra time to give this story the attention it needs to be good. I have several parts written, but without plenty of overviewing, it will suck, and I would be very unhappy with that. Hopefully, after this last bit of installations, my surplus time will increase, which should be over the next three weeks._

_Unfortunately, I am leaving you with a short chapter this week. I wanted to avoid any cliffhangers with my sabbatical looming, so the chapter got cut up._

_As always, great thanks to __**Nerdygirl**__ for her editing skills. She went above and beyond this week, and I cannot thank her enough for taking her role as my beta so seriously! She makes me wish I could afford to pay her!_

_-Andi_

**Chapter Eleven: So Long Shadow**

Eric set the bags of groceries on the countertop of his kitchen, and Sookie quickly went about putting everything away.

"Am I coming with you to the club?" She asked as she put a half-gallon of milk in the fridge along with some more yogurt and small tub of cottage cheese.

"I would prefer if you did not." Eric told her seriously, "The less the Magister has in contact with you, the less likely he is to ask questions."

"How are you going to explain discovering Long Shadow's misdeeds without bringing up my telepathy?" She asked curiously as she put away a few cans of peaches and pears.

"I will state the truth. One of my employees saw him glamouring Ginger and overheard his command." Eric shrugged. "I will just not state that it was a telepathic witness."

"Won't he want to interview the employee?" She pressed.

"The Magister takes little note of humans. He does not care what they have to say, glamoured or otherwise." Eric answered, "Do not fret over this, Lover, you need not worry the slightest bit over this bit of politics."

"If you say so." Sookie sighed, putting away the last of the groceries. Eric smiled at her. "How long should this take?"

"Not long,perhaps an hour or two." He shrugged.

"Guess I can spend time exploring the house. After all, I've only ever seen the den, kitchen, bedroom, and master bath."

"There is a study down the hall where I keep all of my books. I know that you enjoy reading. There is also a sitting room with a fireplace." He told her, "It is a rather simple layout. I have little need for many rooms. Although there is a guest room for when Pam is forced to stay with me or in the event that Godric were to visit. Though, he has not done so in all the time I have been in Louisiana."

"Gotcha." Sookie nodded. "Settling in with a book for a few hours sounds good." She agreed with his suggestion.

"However, I am not due at the club for another two and a half hours..." Sookie knew that look. That look told her she would_not_be getting a head start on her reading.

Eric closed the distance between himself and his lover. Reaching across her body, the vampire slowly untied the string that secured the wrap around blouse and opened it just as gradually. Sookie took a deep breath as he stared down at her body as he exposed it. Her hands rested behind her on the counter as she gently tilted back to give him a nice view of her cleavage. Eric purred as he reached for her breasts, pushing them together for a moment before massaging them sensuously. The telepath let her head fall back as he plucked at her nipples through her bra before undoing the front clasp.

Careful to enjoy every single moment, Eric gently pushed the straps and shirt from her shoulders, kissing them away down her left arm. Humming at the action, Sookie used a, now free, arm to reach around Eric's neck and direct his face to her own for a kiss.

As their lips fuzed together, Eric quickly unbuttoned the skin tight jeans his Lover wore and began peeling them from her body. Once her bottom was bare, he lifted her onto the counter and yanked the pants the remainder of the way off along with her panties.

Eric spread her legs wide as he dove between them, devouring her already dampening pussy. She moaned and giggled as he alternated between pleasuring her and tickling the inside of her thighs. Eventually he stopped his teasing and got down to business, snaking his tongue around her clit in a devilish way that only he could manage, and coaxing her juices to flow with his fingers inside of her, massaging that pleasure spot within.

"Ah, mmm, Eric!" She arched against the marble counter. "Oh! Oh!OOoooh!"

Eric grinned at her noises, enjoying every little yip and every long cry. Most of all he enjoyed the way his name tumbled from her lips like a plea. Whenever she called his name, it reminded him that what she cried for was not more pleasure, but more of him.

When he had brought her to climax, Eric leapt onto the counter with all the grace of a jungle cat and spun his lover on her hip so that she lay lengthwise on the kitchen counter. Lying on their sides, facing one another, Eric put one of his hands beneath her head to cradle it, and the other drew her available leg over his hip. With her leg resting there, Eric drew his knee up to open her wider for his entry while his now free hand was able to guide his cock home.

_When does he take his pants off?_Sookie wondered deliriously before she no longer cared and succumbed to the sensation of him filling her.

Grabbing her side to hold her close, Eric began to rock gently against his lover as he sought out her lips to kiss them. Their bodies moved together languidly, unhurriedly, just enjoying their natural rhythm for as long as they could.

Taking the muscled globe of one beautifully sculpted cheek in her hand, Sookie kneaded it before giving Eric a rough tug to deepen his stroke. She gasped at the sensation and her leg rose higher along Eric's side in response.

"You want me deeper inside of you, Lover?" Eric asked in that intoxicating bedroom (or kitchen) voice.

"Yes! Eric, deeper!" Sookie panted.

The vampire complied quickly and was soon on his knees while Sookie remained on her side. She only had a moment to wonder at how her leg could bend like it now was, as Eric straddled her left leg and pushed her right at a perfect 90 degree angle from it. She did not have even a second to wonder as he pounded deeply inside her and stole all inquisitive thoughts from her head other than:_How is it possible to feel this good!?_

Eric kissed and nibbled her ankle with passionate lips and blunt teeth as he began to feel Sookie's channel spasm in the familiar way that preluded an intense orgasm. With an almighty clenching of her internal muscles, she let out a passionate scream as those muscles released and fluttered violently around his cock. Soon, Eric received his own orgasm and thrust sporadically against her.

Gently returning her legs into a neutral position, Eric slid back alongside her on the counter, turning her onto her other side so that he could spoon up behind her. Kissing the exposed shoulder in front of his face, Eric then licked a spot to taste the light sheen of sweat that had built up.

"You are marvelous, Lover." He murmured.

"Mmm, you are too." She sighed contentedly.

Petting her hair gently, Eric decided it was time to get his lover somewhere more comfortable. Jumping off of the counter, he carefully lifted her up and took her to the couch in the sitting room. He made quick work of lighting a fire before sidling up behind her between her and the couch back.

Returning to his previous action of caressing her, Eric wondered if he dare leave her naked on the couch with a fire burning if she were to fall asleep past the time he had to leave for his meeting.

"Mmm," Sookie crooned sleepily, "this is nice..."

"Yes, My Sookie, this is very nice." He agreed.

"I love you, Eric." She shimmied back against him, trying to let herself be absorbed by him.

Eric smiled happily to himself, "And I, you, Sookie." He kissed the back of her head.

"Will we do this still when I come over?" She mumbled.

Eric knew, despite the jolt of excitement it gave him, that Sookie had not actually made a decision. He, unfortunately, knew that with all the talk about Bonds, vampires, and their future, that, in her half asleep mind, she was just babbling and not considering her words carefully. But what a feeling it gave him!

"Yes, my Little Lover. Every evening before dawn, I will hold you like this." Eric whispered back and her breathing evened out as she slipped away into a pleasantly, dreamless sleep.

Going into "down time", as Sookie called it, Eric absentmindedly stroked her side as he thought about how euphoric it would feel to die for the day with Sookie clasped firmly in his arms, and to rise in exactly the same position. Right now, he could not even truly hold her at the end of the evening and beginning of day for it would be too difficult for her to unravel her way from his arms when she awoke the following afternoon. Therefore, for the time being, Eric had to be contented by an arm lazily draped across her body. By the Gods how he hoped that, soon, she would rest from dawn to dusk with him.

As the evening drew closer tomidnight, Eric went to the kitchen to retrieve his clothing before choking out the fire he had built. He wished he could leave Sookie in its warmth, but since it was not a necessary source of heat, and her safety was far more important than an aesthetic display, such as a roaring fire- out it went.

Before he left, Eric lifted Sookie up and tucked her into their bed. She stirred slightly, but quickly turned onto her side and settled. Kissing her head, Eric gave her one last longing look before leaving the house.

Deciding that he would rather fly and be able to return to Sookie all the sooner, Eric took to the night sky with relish. The cooler air at a higher altitude snapped him back into reality, firmly placing "badass Sheriff" Eric back into action. Lovesick Eric was back to the sidelines of his mind, and only making minor objections to his new spot in the lineup.

"Master, the Magister is already here." Pam nodded to Eric as he landed next to her at the employee entrance of the club. "We are now only awaiting Long Shadow's Maker."

Eric gave a single nod before entering the back of the club and going to the basement where the Magister stood, staring with dark amusement at the silver bound vampire.

"I don't like being kept waiting, Northman." The Magister did not look at him as he said this, still reveling in the sight of Long Shadow's sizzling skin.

"I was detained." Eric said firmly.

The Magister could smell the sex and sweet, human scent on Eric, but given just how good this mortal smelled; he chose not to call Eric out on it. If_he_had found a human that delicious, it would have, certainly, detained him for a little while as well.

"When is Hot Rain due to arrive?" The Magister asked instead, "I am very busy, and you are lucky I had time to stop by for a single trial on such short notice."

"My Child says he will appear at any time now." Eric assured.

"If he does not get here in the next five minutes, you may end this one." Replied the Magister.

Eric grinned evilly down at Long Shadow, "But who would return my money?"

"I will bill Hot Rain if he doesn't get himself here on time." Eric nodded slowly. Three minutes later, the other vampire grew impatient and said callously, "You may kill him now. I am through with waiting."

Long Shadow's eyes widened and he began to writhe painfully against his restraints. The Magister handed Eric a stake and took a single step back to avoid the blood that would be making a messy appearance.

"Wait, I am here!" Hot Rain came zipping down the stairs, "I am here!" He said again.

"Too late. You were told to be here atmidnight. It is now12:02. Obviously, you care nothing for your progeny's continued existence, and given the fact that he has stolen from his own Sheriff, you will reimburse Sheriff Northman the total of missing funds with an additional 10%. Is that understood?" The Magister sounded bored, and Hot Rain looked frantic. "If you choose to make another progeny, I suggest you either hold onto them longer for training, or wait until you are older to control them more properly."

Long Shadow looked to his Maker beseechingly as Eric pulled back his arm and sunk the stake through his heart. Hot Rain grabbed his hair, pulling it slightly, a frantic look on his face as he witnessed his Child disintegrating before his eyes.

The Magister left the other two vampires, ready to get a move back onto the road and to his other trials that needed to be overseen. Eric only remained a moment longer to look at Hot Rain. He did not like the way the other vampire made him feel. Seeing this reaction only made the older vampire ache and worry about if he ever lost Pam or Sookie.

Shaking his head, Eric went back upstairs. He would have to stay until Hot Rain left, to be certain he would not try something in his club.

"Any problems tonight, Pam?" Eric asked as he came from the basement and found his Child waiting.

"Just the usual. A few attempted public feedings and a couple vermin that needed some glamouring." Pam shrugged, "Where is your Sookie?"

"Asleep at home."

Pam's eyebrows rose, "She went back to Bon Temps again?"

"My home." Eric rephrased, making Pam's eyebrows rise, still, higher.

"You are sharing your nest with her?" Pam asked.

"Are you questioning my actions, Child?" Eric asked, his voice light, but his eyes were stern.

"Of course not, I was curious. Forgive me, Master." Pam bowed her head slightly.

"Have you found a replacement for Long Shadow?" He asked, changing the subject.

"I have, but it will be about a month before he can make the transfer. The King of California has detained him for the time being." Pam explained.

"You got us a bartender from California?" Eric's eyebrows rose.

"He wanted a change of scenery. I've known Chow for a couple decades now. He's about four hundred and former Yakuza. He should make for an interesting addition. He also does not mind working shirtless." She added.

"Why is this a benefit?" Eric rolled his eyes.

"He was Yakuza. You remember their remarkable body art, yes?" Pam grinned, "And the vermin so do enjoy a tattooed vampire." She inserted.

"This is true. I still remember the fawning women throughout the ages have adorned Godric with." He smirked at the memory, though, if they had known the origins and circumstances behind those tattoos- it might have cooled them off on the lust and replaced it with the respect they deserved. "Do you know why he is being held by the King of California?"

"Confidential, but I am assured it is business and not anything for us to distrust. This comes from the secretary of the King's estate."

"Do we have anyone to cover until he arrives?" Eric was sitting at his desk going through the mail and some paperwork now.

"How about your Sookie?" Pam suggested, "She worked in a bar for five years, I'm sure she knows her way around one. It would only be for a month."

Eric shook his head, "I do not want her in a position where she cannot focus on her real purpose for being here."

"Or where you cannot have her in your lap, correct?" Pam asked as innocently as she could, which came out quite devilish. Eric just grinned at her.

Pam shut the office door behind her and flopped onto the leather sofa against the wall. She watched her Maker intently as he worked, knowing that he wanted to speak to her about_something_.

"Pam, how would you like to have a mistress?" Eric finally asked when he had looked through all of his papers.

Pam's lips quirked, "You intend to turn her?" She caught the meaning behind the word "mistress" and it surprised her beyond all comprehension.

"If she chooses. I wanted you to be prepared if she does." Eric explained.

"She is entertaining. Also, very enjoyable to look at." Pam shrugged, "I do not know that her personality is compatible with this lifestyle, though."

"She would be marvelous." Eric smirked, "She would be different, for certain, but still wonderful. With the Great Revelation and the rise of the Fellowship of the Sun, I believe having a vampire with a kinder face and disposition might be good for our cause."

"You wish to make her the face of the "new vampire"?" Pam sounded doubtful.

"Not quite so plainly." Eric shook his head, "Only, she would be one of very few new vampires that chose the existence for something other than the glory of vampirism."

Pam froze, "You are going to-"

"If she chooses." Eric stopped her from saying the word. "What is your view on it?"

Remaining quiet for a moment, Pam shook her head. She knew that no matter what she said, the decision was not hers, but she would speak her opinion since her Maker was asking for it, "I do not like it." She admitted, "It will be a great weakness for you to have her like that."

Eric nodded, "I agree."

"And should her gift not remain after the change, she would be any other... Child." Pam pointed out.

"I am not planning on changing her for her gift." Eric told her.

Pam did not like that, and he could feel it. She was apprehensive, but not jealous. He was grateful for that much. After a little over a century of hearing that love was a weakness, and should be avoided at all costs, Pam was displeased with her Maker's sudden affliction with it. Not only did he put himself, his potential progeny and his current progeny in danger, but he also risked Godric's well-being if he were killed. If Eric were to fall, one of the oldest vampires on the continent would have lost his entire bloodline, for Sookie would soon fall, and many would do away with Pam for vengeance against the ended Viking. A most promising bloodline would be destroyed. Godric had built a reputation and was in line to becoming the most respected and revered bloodline on the continent, and now Pam's Maker was on the precipice of complicating that.

"If she makes the decision to join us, I will introduce her to Godric beforehand, and accept whatever conditions he lays down for this situation." Eric tempered her fears with this statement.

"It will be a very delicate situation." Pam agreed.

Eric nodded as well, "Am I needed further here?" He asked.

"No. I can close up the club tonight, and I will have a temporary bartender in place by tomorrow night." She assured.

"Good." Eric rose from his desk and paused as he passed his Child, "You will always be my first." He told her, running his finger down her cheek affectionately.

When her Maker had left, Pam finally uttered, "But no longer your favored."

**TBC**

**A/N: REMEMBER TO REVIEW, EVERYONE!**

**-ANDI**


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